The True Hikari Curse: Genes of Magic
by Fireflower19
Summary: Kei Hiwatari knew. He knew just what he was doing by adopting Satoshi. Now Satoshi must quickly learn the full extent of his genes and the curses they bring to have a chance at stopping his father. Will Daisuke be able to help? Can Dark? *EDITED / AU-ish*
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: D.N. Angel is not owned by me.

**)*(**The True Hikari Curse: Genes of Magic**)*(**

By:Fireflower19

**A/N:**** This story has been cleaned and groomed, but I can't seem to get out the noobish mistakes. If you can put up with the first half or so, the rest improves. And I may have taken most of the author's notes of thanks down, but I'm still thankful to all who put up with my first go-a-round. And I must ask that if a sentence appears broken, please let me know. For some reason I've had trouble at times with uploading just this story. I want you to enjoy my first fic. And if a beta-reader happens to see this and cares enough to want to help fix this monster, then PM me. I'd be more than happy to share DocX and let you have at it.**

**-****)*(****-**

As the light from my morning window crosses over me, I briefly wonder if I will ever get another restful nights sleep again. Krad. _Why must I suffer with him? _

(Only allow myself to wallow in self pity every once in awhile by the way, and today just happens to be one of those days.)

I turn to get the dairy of a previous Hikari that I was looking through last night before Krad began his relentless bids for freedom. Though, so far I've found nothing that would explain what I'm going through.

"Why were you so insistent that I not look through here, Krad? Is it because someone of my family had found a way to contain you? Or at least control you better?"

No answer. The darn devil was probably sleeping after all the effort he put in, especially within the last four hours. My head is still throbbing sickly. I wonder if I can hold up in school today. I must go so as to keep an eye on Niwa.

I noticed he's been acting differently. Is it because Dark is being just as restless as Krad? Well, it's not as if I care. ...I keep telling myself that, but I can't help but feel a kinship with him. Darn it! He's my enemy, not a part of my family! Far from it! ...and me.

Suddenly, my alarm goes off and it feels as though my heart has stopped. The buzzing is so loud! It didn't use to scare me. Everything about me seems to be changing this past week. I've become very sensitive with my hearing, most lightings irritate my eyes, and I've had an increase in thinking speed, which is by far the worst. It's like my mind can calculate now before I even have a chance to fully process any details. It's like jumping the gun before realizing I've even jumped. It's very annoying and it keeps causing me to second guess myself.

Whatever is going on has to be listed in one of my family history books. I can remember something I'd found rather bothersome in one when I was five, though for the life of me I can't remember the title. It's the reason I believed myself to be a monster. That, and the fact I have an angelic demon in me. I frown as I look at the plain brown book.

Whatever started the Hikari magic in the first place is more than likely the cause of all this. It's something that's genetic. Probably a trait that for the most part lies dormant since this is the first trouble I've had. A hold back a shudder. I don't want to see any doctors for awhile. The last thing I need is to end up as a scientist's plaything.

Okay, pity party over. The blankets slide to the floor as I head to the bathroom. Time to start and get ready for school. As I start the shower and pause for the water to heat up I wonder what type of traps I haven't tried against Dark. Tranquilizers would be great if I knew he wouldn't try to fly after being hit with one. Not fully aware, I step into the shower and curse. My pants are still on. Maybe I should just stay home today.

Heading to School 

All I seem able to do on the drive over is gaze at the light blue sky. Apparently I'm back to normal for the moment if my eyes aren't watering by now. Turning back, I reach for the mirror I've learned to bring with me. After all, I don't want Niwa to be able to tell anything is wrong, thereby letting Dark know something is up.

Everything is in order, from my glasses to my hair. I put the mirror quickly away. I don't want to see Krad if he decides to peek out. He is undoubtedly furious right now with me. I'm not scared, I just don't feel like jumping at the sight.

**-****.****-**

At School 

Daisuke's POV

For once I'm not cutting it close. I can breathe easy on the walk into school this morning. Smiling, I think of Riku. Today, we're going to eat lunch outside on my favorite bench. The breeze is blowing and I soon stop to notice, breathing in deeply the sweet smell of honeysuckle with it. Oh, it's perfect! The weather, ..and Riku. I blush. She is so sweet! She's really helped me out a lot. The fact I change into Dark to steal sometimes has interfered badly with my grades. She has taken the time this past weekend to quiz me and keep my mind up on my school work.

** 'You know, she is a lot more than a tutor to you,' **Dark says in my head. I blush again, worse this time.

'I know, but with you around I try not too think to hard,' I reply. I rush inside the building and head for my locker.

'**I don't try to come out for every little feeling you know? Or is it that you are afraid? Afraid of where your young perverted mind will go if you think about her to much?' **I feel him snickering. It's times like these I get really mad at Dark. I know he is just teasing, but this is just rude! '**Aw, don't pout. And stop blushing, Takeshi is looking at you funny.' **

_Darn you, Dark! Just stay quiet!_

A little later on I've finished my class work and start daydreaming. Which is fine as long as there isn't a story being read in class. Never again do I want the embarrassment of being called a twit by the teacher. _I wonder how Hiwatari is doing?_

'**That kid is always unstable.' **I guess I asked by mistake cause I was surprised when Dark answered me.

'I thought you were asleep, Dark. Don't you always sleep when I'm at school?'

'**Not always, I have to relearn somethings, too.' **I feel him settle in the back of my mind. And on goes class, although the toast I had this morning is long gone from my poor stomach.

**-.-**

Satoshi's POV

_Why did I come to school today?_ Sweat is trickling down my neck. I have to keep resisting the urge to get up and shower at the boy's locker room down in the gym. _The teacher is definitely loud enough_, I think with some sarcasm. But, I can't grasp what she is saying. Yet, somehow, my hand continues to write in my notebook like nothings wrong. Putting effort into looking at it however shows that it's merely squiggles. I sigh. Must at least try to keep appearances up.

The interior darkening soon catches my eye and I look out the window. It's growing dark rapidly. Blinking to better clear my vision, I check again. Indeed, it is getting dark outside. Glancing at my wrist watch shows the time is only 11:30am. "What the..," Turning- looking at Niwa to see if he's noticed- my stomach turns weakly with me. _Oh great, nausea._ I need to be at full strength if this is the sign of an artwork breaking loose. I barely notice that I've leaned a little.

**-.-**

Daisuke's POV

Nothing unusual about today, and for that I'm so very glad! No warning letters, no weird magics on the loose, and no thieving!

"Hey, Riku, let me borrow your homework please. I will take cleaning duty for you tomorrow," Takeshi asks. A smile crosses my face, because I know what's gonna happen next. Okay, not smiling now cause I just realized who he always gets to clean for him.

"No, Takeshi. You must do the work or you'll never learn," Riku stubbornly replies. Takeshi just grumbles. He will undoubtedly ask someone else before class is over.

A slight thump from behind makes me turn right. Nothing seems out of the ordinary, until I look further down the row to Hiwatari. A few girls gasp.

"Wwaaahh! Hiwatari, are you alright?" I rush over to him. He just appears to be asleep. This is very strange. I grab him by the shoulders while the others are beginning to watch. "Hiwatari!" I gasp and pull away. He's ghostly white and burning up! This is seriously not good...

'What do I do? Should I just let the teacher take him to the nurse?'

'**Don't let him go,' **Dark sounds serious. '**He's very sick, but the nurse won't be able to help him. We need to get him to Daiki.' **I frown feeling a strange attitude in Dark, and ask, 'How am I suppose to do that?' '**That's easy. Figure it out!'** I'm worried cause taking him to my house means he will be around my mom.

'Dark?'

**-.-**

Satoshi's POV 

…...

"-cher, I'm taking Hiwatari to the nurse, okay?"

_What's going on?_ I don't think my words reached my mouth; my throat feels too tight. I hear more words being said, then clothing begins to rustle next to me. I open my eyes to find my vision completely engulfed in red. "What?" I jump back up in my seat. There's a small gasp and Daisuke pulls away.

"Hiwatari, are you alright?" the redhead asks in a small voice. Seeing as I can't make out more than a few blurry desks with people in them, at the moment I'd have to say no. And, I think they're staring. _Oh, the lights in here are too bright!_ I squeeze my eyes shut.

"Hiwatari!" That voice is definitely Niwa's. But it's way too high pitched. _Could he possibly be worried? _I turn disbelieving wide eyes to look at the red blotch. I can't make him out. I look at my hand to try to refocus my eyes. It works.

"I'm fine Niwa. I just have a little cold." Yeah, I lied. Lamely I might add. He looks at me with his crimson orbs, a frown evident on his face. "Yeah, alright. But, we're still going to the nurse. Come on, I already have permission." _Fine, I get the hint Niwa._ He obviously wants to say something. Anyway, I'll force him to let me go once we reach outside the classroom.

Calmly I gather my things, feeling more than bothering to look for them, and head out the door. I wonder, did I pass out on my desk? I don't remember closing my eyes, or hearing Niwa get so close.

Once we step outside he closes the door.

"Niwa, I'm not going to the nurse."

"I know. You can't go to the nurse really."

_Wait, then what are you going to do?_ I place my bag down to lean on the wall. It's more easier than standing at the moment. Daisuke looks down, obviously reluctant to tell me his plan. This makes me like the predicament less and less.

"What are you planning Niwa?" I can't help the hard note that enters my voice. I'm a loner and always will be and I'm too irritated to soften it right now.

"W-we can go to my house and see what my grandpa can do for you," he says shyly. Guess he knows I'm going to refuse. Though a nagging voice tells me it would be great to be worried for... for once.

"No," I reply icily and turn to walk away. "I'm going home." I refuse to allow any sort of help. No one can help me in what really matters. Luckily, I can see clearly enough and manage to shuffle towards the double doors down at the end of the hall. I look over my shoulder, sensing more than hearing Niwa from behind. Cutting my eyes at him, I force myself to stand up a little bit straighter.

"You have no one to care for you, so I'm following you home," he says determinedly, answering my questioning gaze.

"You have no right to be following me. Besides, you will get in trouble if you don't return to class." What could be making him act like this? I don't look that bad do I? _Stupid question._

Suddenly, his eyes go flat, then quickly turn amethyst.

"We either do this the easy way, or the hard way, Satoshi," Dark says.

"What are you doing out?" I reply evenly. "You can't believe I will listen to you."

"Hard way it is!" He smirks, making a step towards me. I run my hand along side the wall, bracing myself. No way was this guy going to even touch me!

Dark/Daisuke springs, reaching for my extended hand. I quickly pivot left in dismay. _He's actually trying to grab me! What's he trying to pull by making a scene like this while at school?_ Turning towards the wall where Dark/Daisuke is, I quickly realize he is still in mid-lunge, reaching for nothing. I blink in dismay.

He's jumping so slowly that this can't be right. He slowly turns to look at me. It's like watching a screen shot stuck at quarter speed. Shock is in his purple eyes. Is this strange phenomenon hurting him somehow? Slowing down even further; coming out of the grab; I can see his every move plainly. I gape, unable to fully comprehend what's happening. Quicker now, he starts straighting up from the attempted grab. Pure shock rolls through me, then...

Suddenly, everything snaps back to normal. Blood that was slung too fast from my head catches up with me. The lighting is extremely bright I realize again, and my head goes back as I step unwillingly backwards. I immediately try to regain my footing. "Huh." The dizziness! I hunch over and cover my head with an arm.

"Satoshi?" Dark asks, "How did you do that?"

…... "I didn't," was the only answer I could think to give. My clouding mind wouldn't allow much.

"What did you just do, Dark?" He comes a little more towards me.

"I didn't do anything. You blurred right before I noticed you beside me, instead of in front like you were suppose to be!" He sounded offended, like he should have known what had happened. I, on the other hand, couldn't get my thoughts straight.

I keep backing up till my back accidentally touches the cool wall on the opposite side of the hall. It forces me out of my haze. Briskly, I drop my arm from in front of my face and make an all out dash for the exit doors at the end. Panting, I reach the end just as a weight comes down on top of my legs. Stumbling and feeling rather foolish, I grab for the bar to the door and hold on to keep from falling. Looking towards my feet I see red again.

"No you don't!" Dark says. Funny, he still looks like Daisuke, but acts nothing like him. The red hair tumbles towards my face as he pulls up and attempts to grab at my other hand this time.

"And, I said I'm not going with you! I refuse!" _Stupid thief!_ My arm gets pinned behind me this round. Leaving me pressed against the cold metal door. "Ack!" I can't help the noise that slips as my face gets pulled from the door and jerked hard by a clenched hand.

"There's something wrong with you! You here me? Something I can sense that seems quite disturbing. Now, unless you want me to pull your hair out, I suggest you come quietly." I breathe deeply, knowing something is wrong. _But, I … I don't want his help._ But, a small part of my mind tells me I might better.

Ignoring it, I push the bars in and cause the doors to erupt open. He lets go as we tumble out. Falling, all I see is the hard concrete. I push out with my hand, stopping my fall and pitching myself forward somehow into a run. Feeling cold sweat on my neck, I look back and see a full fledged Dark coming after me. _Drat!_

I can't beat him in a flat out run, I know. His legs are much longer than mine. And, also he can maneuver a lot better than me, so obstacles wouldn't slow him down more than they would me, but I may be able to trick him. That is, if I can make it to the patch of woods before he catches up. This really isn't my day.

Green! The trees are right in front of me. But, darn it! My visions getting all blurry! My eyes are streaming even though it's so cloudy out. I rub an arm across my face, trying to calm down so I can use my only opportunity._ But, I never could quite catch him now could I? So, will this even work?_ I shake my head. This had better work. I will not end up at the Niwas' mercy. Because of Krad they may end up killing me.

Breathing hard, I wipe my eyes and manage to avoid running into a particularly nasty looking tree and go a ways beyond before stopping to catch my breath. If I just change directions every so often I might be able to lose him. Simple, but if used right it's a very effective move.

Hearing movement from the South-East, I hunker down and move right, staying towards the bushes for cover and trying to be quiet, hoping to slip right past him. Quickly, I map out the fastest way to my apartment, when suddenly I feel a sneeze. To fast! My sinuses are burning from it! I feel the pressure building with no chance to stop it! I quickly try to muffle it on my shoulder, but that doesn't work so well. Freezing, I hear no movement coming from anywhere. Not good. He must have picked up on my location and be pondering. Should I move? Or should I just hope that he goes right past me? What a perfect time to have sneezed!

"Satoshi! You had better come out now, or your really going to get it!" Dark threatens. Yeah, he had heard me. Bending to my hands and knees I move on forward, ignoring him. "Not the right answer!" The next instant I'm being hit with what feels like a small hurricane and my world goes upside down.

"Oooff." While tumbling, my tangling limbs become even more tangled within a patch of thick thorns. "Told ya." He looms over me like a shadow. "You just wouldn't listen." I glare at his smugness.

I try to straighten, but the thorns hold me down. Grunting, I try to tear loose. I know I will end up with severe scratches. "Darn it!" I pull harder, desperate to get back on even ground, sort of speak. Movement again and his hand wraps around my arm. Looking up, I see he's frowning at me. _I can't stand this!_ I tug harder, feeling the half inch thorns embed further into my limbs. Krad is starting to push at me now, trying to get his presents over mine. I hate the smothered feeling with a passion!

"Stop, Satoshi." I blink, not quite sure what to think of his reprimanding tone, then pull with all my might once more. I tear loose, spilling a few drops of blood and sprint for my house. If I can just get to the public that will force him to back away. Running the path down towards town, the sun comes out. I just hope the people don't try to stop me, I must look horrid by now. Still going straight, I manage to make it to the first building. I stop and look behind for Dark. All I see is Daisuke. _Darn it!_ How could I forget about that little tactic? I stop to stare at him from afar. For some reason I feel like I can't go any further just yet. Perhaps I've reached my limits. _Darn it!_

**-.-**

Dark's POV

** 'He's just standing there now, Dark.' **

'I can see this.' But, what I can't understand is why the sudden look of terror a few minutes ago. I would've never believed Satoshi could pull off the scared look of an innocent child. It just doesn't suit his nature.

Normally, the Hikari magic is strong within their clan members. Always providing them with talents no normal person could understand; an underlining current in their bodies, alive within their very life source; their souls. And because of this, no matter how weak the body may get towards the end of their short lifespans, they're always a force to consider.

I can always feel a strange vibe from a Hikari. And today, the vibe I'm getting from Satoshi is very unusual.

'Daisuke, this … sickness, or whatnot may be affecting his judgment. I suggest we act quickly to get this over with.'

**'Alright. What's the plan?' **

'From the looks of it, I may only need to grab him. He's not making any sort of move.'

**'He maybe starting to pass out, Dark! Hurry to him! Better yet, let me take over.'**

'No.' Walking forward into the sunshine, I glimpse a small jerk. Indecision is written all over his pale face.

Some birds fly overhead as a small breeze flows through. A nice day, with the only thing off being the bluenette in front of me... and the fact I'm now back in Daisuke's form. It feels very different controlling his body rather than having my regular one. Stepping softly next to the Hikari, I brace myself for anything, knowing he won't just give in. He can't be. Not after the anxious way in which he freed himself from those huge thorns.

Cautiously, I raise my hand and grab his shoulder. He blinks at me, trying to get his eyes focused back on me instead of that ever so far away place inside his own head. As he puts out his hands to grab the building for support, briefly the thought passes that he may have held a quick conversation with Krad. Can't be though. Krad would never think to give Satoshi a word. A demand that Satoshi would definitely ignore he would try, but not a word of comfort or advice.

It's more in his style that if he was concerned about the situation after awhile he probably would try to break free of the young boy instead. Unless, whatever magic is building within Satoshi is holding Krad back from emerging. Perhaps Satoshi is at his limit now is all.

**-.-**

Satoshi's POV

I can feel his hand on my shoulder, but can't focus well enough to tell whether it's Daisuke, or still Dark. Don't like it either way, but I will have to be ready to respond differently from one or the other depending.

Stepping somewhat backwards, I try to bat his hand away. Instead of his hand falling, his grip only tightens. That's when I feel a warmth spreading from his touch. _Dark's magic!_

"Don't Dar-" I can't quite finish my sentence. His touch is purposely sending magic to relax my body. Without that tension I can't stay awake. Wobbling, I feel my body give a shudder as my mind starts going blank. _No! No!_ The next second, I'm falling right into his arms as my legs give out._ At least soon I won't have to think anymore._ He turns me around as I go completely limp and picks me up with both arms, holding me more gently than I thought the thief ever could.

I just close my tired eyes. And, as I try one last futile time to move away, he holds me tighter and closer. There is one last thought before I fall into absolute darkness. That thought is: I'm very uncomfortable about how this must look.

**-.-**

At the Niwa's 

The house has been unusually quiet today. It's almost as if something is holding its breath, waiting for something expected to happen. Emiko and her father have always had a knack for sensing the out-of-normal events that nature can let happen at times and today seems to be one of those extraordinary days. A holder of some great event, if you will, that feels almost as big as the day Dark came back into this world.

What a day that was! Daisuke's fourteenth birthday... So surprised was Daisuke when Emiko told him he was the Legendary Phantom Thief. Perhaps it wouldn't have been so much of a shock to him if he would have been raised like his grandpa, Daiki; always knowing that one day Dark would come through him and he too would be a great phantom thief.

Then again, having been raised that way himself, Daiki knew the disadvantages of knowing at an early age. In the end it was decided that is was more giving to Daisuke to let him have his first thirteen years free to himself. After all, with the world as chaotic as it is now a days he would need all that free time to learn himself as best as he could. But, the everyday training would have to be given still. So he would have to be ready when the time finally came for him to be the thief. (Of course the real reason for the training was kept between Emiko and himself.) This way, when the artworks were resealed again and Dark gone, Daisuke would have a good idea of the person he wanted to grow into and be. Something Daiki had had trouble with after the thief was gone from him.

"Papa, would you like some hot tea?" Emiko came into the living room to ask, bringing her father out of his thoughts.

"That would be fine dear," the old man responded. Old as he may be he still has an aura of power to him. One look and you know he's to be respected. Though his gentle eyes and good humor are always quick to put most new comers at ease. "And, Emiko dear," he says with a serious tone, "make sure the couch in Daisuke's room is pulled into a bed. Seems Dark is bringing some company and he's feeling none too well."

"Oh? Who is it, Papa?" she asks as she slides the lily looking cup on the coffee table towards him.

"It's the Hikari boy," he replies while grabbing his cup hurriedly so as she will not spill it before he gets a chance to drink it. Sure enough, within the span of about three seconds she explodes into the expected tantrum.

"WHY IS HE BRINGING THAT CURSED BOY HERE? HE WILL HAVE TO TURN AROUND AND PUT HIM BACK RIGHT NOW!" she cries hysterically, waving the tray she'd brought while talking as if Hiwatari was merely a stray dog.

"Now calm down, Emiko. I believe there is a good reason for this. Tell me what you feel coming from the boy." Daiki says as evenly as he can while sipping on his tea.

"I don't care! HE will not set foot in this house!"

"Tell me, Emiko."

"I feel... what is this?" she asks in a hushed tone She plainly feels the warped magic coming closer.

"This is why Dark is bringing him. He must want advice on what can be done for the young Hikari."

"I think this is somewhat for Daisuke too," Kosuke speaks while coming from the study room down in their basement. He is always right in with the magical sensory. It's as if he too has Niwa blood. "I don't think Dark wants any harm for Satoshi either. He's learned through Daisuke that Satoshi has a good heart, even if he is a Hikari. There's something different about this one. He doesn't want to live in the mistakes of his ancestors."

"True, but in the end, the Hikari will be forced by his curse to make more accursed artworks, and like his ancestors before him, will break before he can stop them. He's only human," Daiki says with sadness. He is finishing the last bit of his tea when Emiko comes back from the kitchen and speaks. She'd started cooking; a sure sign she was trying to relieve stress.

"Are we done taking up for him now? Good! Now lets discuss where he's staying cause it WILL NOT BE IN MY HOUSE!" she shouts with such force that her foot stomps to the right of her. She would be cute with the spot of flour on her nose and the spatula in her hand sticking from a hip if she wouldn't have just scared the daylights out of the two grown men. They glance opposite of each other from across the room, each pleading silently for the other to coax her into agreeing.

**-****)*(****-**


	2. Chapter 2

**-****)*(****-**

Satoshi's POV

All I can hear is the wind rushing past my ears. It's... kinda cold.

Frustrating... My thoughts won't come together well enough to tell me where I might be, or how this may have occurred. Like glue, they refuse to come together quickly.

"Huh?" I move slightly trying to wake up. I feel something automatically tighten around me. It's warm compared to the chilly wind. Again, I try moving. _Why is it so difficult to move? Why can't I wake up?_ These are questions that don't have answers for me at the moment.

Fidgeting, trying to stretch rather, I find my head goes over whatever was holding it up, exposing my throat to the morning like air. I groan. At least the cool breeze is clearing the fog in my brain.

I hear a slight voice. Sounds upset. I blink and raise my head, trying to see who's there. It's no use. I relax and let it flop back down, not even able to make myself care who it is right now.

Soon, what feels like an arm is moving under my head. Attempting to place me back where I was, I suppose.

"Can't stay like that, Commander, you'll get a sore neck," says a voice that's way too close.

I jump, feelings the arms tighten on me. Instinctively, I begin to struggle against them.

"Will you stop moving? Do you want me to drop you?" …... "Daisuke, he's already awake. You might as well stop with the whole "don't wake him" rant."

_Oh no..._

**-.-**

A Few Minutes Prior 

Dark's POV 

I never would have imagined I'd be holding Creepy Boy. This is just … well.. unnerving. He looks too peaceful just laying in my arms. Never would have even thought he had a peaceful side. _For the love of all humanity please don't go Krad on me, Creepy._ The thought of the calm being broken by that white-winged jerk seems too ironic at the moment.

I direct my attention back to flying straight. Won't be much longer now. We're almost home and this little guy is still sleeping. _Good._ Not really wanting to bother with him if he wakes up mid-flight.

Suddenly, I feel a small jerk. _Oh, speak of the devil._

"Huh?" he sighs more than speaks. His breathing begins to increase too, proof that he is indeed waking up. And, he's going to be pissed. Not the best thing to deal with while being a couple hundred feet above ground...

"Great, and we were almost home." Can't help but be a little frustrated at this.

**"Can't you lure him back to sleep again?" **Daisuke asks.

"Not right now while I'm flying. Couldn't do it right, and after that short nap he'd be able to put up more resistance than last time." Besides, I don't like having to use more magic than necessary. "So, I'll just have to fly faster." I start pumping my wings harder, moving the air around more.

Doesn't take long for the little Creepy Commander to start trying to move. His slight body starts tensing, ordering his still tired limbs to work.

"Hey," I hold tighter while tilting my head to look down at him, "quit that or we might both fall."

**"Stop Dark, or you really will wake him,"** Daisuke whines.

"Too late for-," I don't get to finish cause I feel a sudden drop over my left arm. Snapping my head towards it, I have to muffle a laugh. His whole head is hanging off of my arm in such a comical way that it's almost cute! _...Can't believe I just thought that..._

** "Wow, he is like a different person asleep,"** Daisuke says, having not heard my thoughts thankfully.

Satoshi tries to raise up, barely getting his glazed eyes locked on mine. They're unfocused. Lacking something - more than likely strength - he flops back down. I feel him groan as the cool air rushes by.

_Great. Now let's see if I can get him back into a better position. _Carefully moving my arm back under his head, I wiggle him a bit, trying to adjust him more. _This is annoying._

"Can't stay like that, Commander, you'll get a sore neck," I whisper close to his ear as I bring him back up. He jumps a second later. Quickly, I tighten my hold of him, afraid that he'll push away not realizing we're in flight.

"**Dark, stop. You're waking him up and you know he might hurt himself. Why do you always ha-" **

Daisuke's cut short as I have to struggle with a weak thrashing Hikari.

"Will you stop moving? Do you want me to drop you?"

Daisuke decides to continue, **"You sure don't know how to treat someone who's sick. Couldn't you just keep qui-"**

"Daisuke, he's already awake. You might as well stop with the whole "don't wake him" rant." I can see the horror growing on Satoshi's face as he realizes and remembers what had previously happened, yet he covers it so well you can barely tell he is more than agitated. I smile, knowing it will further the damage. Can't help but to love seeing the great, little Commander squirm after all.

**-.-**

Satoshi's POV 

"Dark, put me down," I try to speak up with some authority. Too bad I sound half-asleep with it.

"Sorry, Commander, but I'm taking you home with me," he says, then grimaces. "Jeez, that sounds so disturbing... Listen, just let us help you. We'll make sure that everything is alright and then you can go back to your lonely little apartment doing your own creepy little … whatever it is you do," he says, sounding perturbed and looking forward again.

Apparently I don't get a say so at all. _How dare he force his help on me, this kaito whom has plagued my clan?_ Yes, he steals the art to seal it when it becomes active, but that is my place. If the Hikari artworks become dangerous then that is when _I_ handle it. I do know that dealing with them is definitely needed and most of the Hikari works are vile things... But, I believe the works can have good sides is why I'm hesitant in ending them. I feel a little confused at my rising anger...

They don't all have to have disastrous powers. Just as The Eternal Guide. She is a good friend of theirs. Even serves as their maid and has helped them numerous times. 'He has too much compassion for humans and not enough for his own kind. And this is why I shall kill him... '

"Ah!" I clutch my chest and lean my head against Dark's upper arm. I'm being smothered again._ No Krad!_ I can't help the push into the thief's arm as I lean. Guess he's going to notice now.

"Satoshi?" Dark looks down at me again, this time with a serious expression. _Please don't come out, Krad!_ I shut my eyes. His thoughts are sweeping through mine. My high-strung state is making it easier for him to put his presence over mine. In the mean time, my higher heart rate is allowing him to transform my body some. Just barely, right now I still have the most control.

I push my chest, willing my heart to slow while trying to clear my frantic thoughts. _Calm, calm down. Idiot, don't let yourself get affected liked this! _I start twisting a bit. It hurts! I hiss slightly.

"It's Krad isn't, Satoshi?" Dark's grip starts feeling like claws. "You need to keep him in. Otherwise, you're going to get seriously injured." His face looks fathomless, like an eternity is playing out across his sharp features. I can't tell whether he means I'd be hurt by the transformation because of my sickness, or if he'd harm me himself. Nothing new there. What have they been through, Krad and him?

They use to be one being, so how can they hate each other so much? They must not have liked their self very much when they were one. Were they happy to be separate entities and to see the other gone? Or, did they have such different views and actions after they were separated that they grew to hate one another with such passion then?

All I know right now is I could care less! _Krad is an infection!_ I clinch my fist. _One that doesn't care how much he hurts as long as he accomplishes his goals. All he can see is Dark in his twisted admiration and warped feelings of him._ I know he needs Dark for a balance of some sort, but I also sense the need for him to kill him. Too messed up! I just don't understand!

And, Dark... he is a thief that doesn't have much more than a few tracks in his thoughts. But, really, I don't fault him as much as Krad. I know he cares a lot more for those around him. As for his thievery, let him have the works. I just want some to have an attempt at life, like Towa and With. The ones who don't suck life away carelessly like Krad. I'm only forced by my curse to capture Dark. If I could, I'd walk away without a worry, creating harmless arts. If I could, I'd be just a normal kid.

_Darn it! Wrong train of thoughts!_ Dark's really struggling to hold on to me.

"Stop it! You idiot! Do you want to die? You'll cause me to drop the both of you!"

"Hiwatari, please!"

_That's Daisuke's voice._ I try to stop, I really do. But, I'm spasming. My body is wanting to expand into Krad's.

"I won't let him win!" I gasp. "But, the jerking is involuntary." I bow harshly upwards a few seconds later, nearly falling out of his grasp. And we're high up. That wouldn't be good.

Gazing up to him, I see he's focusing on looking ahead while also putting forward one of his hands. A black feather is between his fingers. Feeling the magics pulsing through his famous medium, Krad pushes harder, wanting to use his own magic.

Almost instantly what feels like ice rushes through me, starting right under my skin to spread outwards from my chest. It's Dark's magic again. I lose my breath at the cold touch. I turn, keeping my face aimed from Dark as I force myself to stay calm and except his help. My breathing doesn't even get a chance to return to normal, nor does the thief have a chance to celebrate a short victory before fire starts ravaging away at the ice inside of me.

"SSSTTOOOPP! Y-you're TEARING ME APART!" I scream out. Never have I felt two opposite magics collide in such a way, clashing in such fury! No flesh could harbor that assault. I desperately gasp for air, shaken to my core.

Dark immediately stops and goes into a quick dive, momentarily replacing some of the pain with panic at the fast descent. He pulls out fairly neatly at the last possible minute to thud us softly on solid ground, laying me on the grass to see nothing but his purple hair as he moves away to give me some room.

Taking an attempt to take in my surroundings, I glance around. We seem to be just on the outside of town. Discreet, but not totally private. I must not allow any more noises. And, I must not allow my winged "angel" out under any circumstances. This could get very bad for us publicity wise.

"Dark, go on with Daisuke," I manage to wheeze out.

"I told you your coming with me, Satoshi, so don't try to get out of it."

"That's not what I'm thinking about at the moment!" I grab my stomach as the earlier nausea returns with all the pain. It's gut wenching!

"Well then, what are you thinking? If I leave you here and Krad gets loose, what then?" Dark appears to be enjoying this for some reason. Perhaps him and Krad are a little more alike than I originally thought. I know their egos match perfectly.

A thought briefly comes to mind: _Does each thinking they are the better half have anything to do with their fighting? If it does then I'd really like to ring them both by their necks for involving all of us in their piety squabbles!_

"Krad would not openly attack random people. If you'd stop to think you'd know at least that much-," I turn away from him again to put a hand to my mouth. I'm about to gag if I don't shut up. I know my eyes are watering.

Sensing somethings up, Dark comes closer. Bending down and folding his arms, he smiles at me. I really hate him sometimes.

"Oh? And how can I really trust that of Krad? He's mentally insane if I care to remember right," he says in a mocking sort of way. With how old Dark is, I wouldn't count him out of being a bit loose up there, too.

Ignoring him, for the most part, I pitch myself to my hands and knees and retch, unable to hold it back anymore. Luckily, it's only dry heaves. But darn, those never want to stop!

"He really did a number on you, didn't he?" Dark's a little less indifferent now. I really wish I could stop gaging! Weakness is not something I like to openly show. I cough when the gaging finally stops. Darn all the twisting and burning. My lungs feel ripped after all that, but I keep coughing, unable to stop.

"We're nearly there Satoshi. Let's go. … If it's safe too." He cocks his head at me playfully, yet his eyes are a tad more narrow the normal. A slight frown maybe?

"Fine," I say when I can. Getting up for some reason throws me right back into a coughing fit. Something inside feels like it tearing. It doesn't let up either, and soon I'm back on the ground grabbing my throat. I can't get any air in! I cough again, and feel something warm and wet flood my right lung and again I gag. This time though, something does come up; something that's a deep red color. I must have a rupture somewhere. It's pretty bad too if this amount says anything about it. Can't help the slight twinge of panic that bubbles up with it.

I feel Krad pull away from this, leaving me alone. Seems he doesn't like the thought of death. And, with him letting up so fast it sends everything into a spin. Or, maybe that's the blood loss. I can feel it refilling my lung already.

"Crap! Satoshi!" Faintly, I hear Dark yell as if from a distance and go down in a fallen heap. Almost instantly I feel strong arms spin me around to pull me back to him again. It's a bit of a comfort, if I look past the pain in my chest.

My right lung collapses when he sets me up right. Blood gushes forward like a stream onto us. He doesn't care about that though. All I see in his reddish-purple eyes is worry. I can't help but to smile slightly. As my own vision goes foggy, I have a vague sense of relief. Soon, it might all be over. All this fighting, all the turmoil... Wouldn't that be okay?

The last thing I register is a leap into the air as he jumps off with me in tow. Or should I say they? I think they're working together now. That would be the true form of a Niwa.

**-.-**

Dark's POV 

"**Dark! What's happened?"** Daisuke is wailing inside.

"His body must have been torn by Krad and my magic." I'm shocked. How could I have let this happen? A minute of stunned silence goes by, but Daisuke doesn't fail to mention the same thing.

" **You and Krad did this! How could you do such a stupid thing? Look at him! He's too pale! There is blood everywhere and he's still bleeding! This can't be real!"**

"Shut up, Daisuke! Stop panicking! You're making it difficult to stay airborne." Our body is having a hard time staying in my bigger form with Daisuke becoming so emotional. I look at the small figure in my arms. His eyes are half-way closed, not focusing on anything, unseeing. Almost his whole upper chest is covered with fresh blood, the rest is a steady drip falling away. The metallic smell of it seems to be molding into me.

"**Dark,"** Daisuke is sobbing now. **"Don't lose him. I couldn't forgive you if he dies."** I jerk. _Daisuke... _

"I don't want us to end up like him and Krad, Daisuke! I didn't mean for this to happen! I was just trying to suppress Krad to keep us safe. If he came out with Satoshi already so bad off, then who knows what damage could've been done!" I desperately want to reason with him. "I'm sorry!" Quickly, I beat my wings harder. I don't care if there are any onlookers right now, I'll take the short cut and fly right through the city, rather than around to come from the ocean. My back is beginning to protest from this, but Daisuke is just telling me to go faster.

"Daisuke, you're going to be in a lot of pain if I go faster."

"**I don't care! Go! Go! I can't tell if he's even breathing anymore! His lips are blue! Dark!" **

"Okay!" Fighting my panic, I force magic throughout every feather in my wings. In no time they seem to burn blue, acting like afterburners. I flap and grimace. _Glad we didn't use With._

**-.-**

With the Niwas 

Her father was talking and holding her hand; the better to keep her from following Kosuke upstairs and foiling his making of the guest bed. A few minutes later there's a crashing sound from Daisuke's balcony.

"They're here!" Emiko jumps up, not even taking in the fact of the sound. "Now I will settle this!" She storms out of the living room, ignoring her fathers words.

"Emiko! Can't you listen to reason?" Daiki shakes his head after her. _Better go help the poor guys up there._ He follows slowly, prolonging the last peaceful moment he knows he'll have for awhile.

"Dark! What happened?" Kosuke throws himself at the window to open it for them. He isn't sure where all the blood is coming from, or if it might include both of theirs, but he can see Hiwatari is nearly gone. His face is whiter than a cloud, his hair showing up a striking sky blue against it. And his lips; this is what scares Kosuke the most; are a deep purplish-blue color.

He hurriedly takes the boy from Dark, whom is slumping over. An overuse in magic no doubt.

"I'm sorry... I've torn him... from... the inside," Dark pants. "Can we do anything for him?" His face is pained as his wings are shaking. Torn and bloody feathers are falling around him, so overspent that the black in them isn't reflecting the usual sheen of purple.

"I-I … don't know, Dark." They look around as they hear an angry Emiko enter into the room. As she pulls near, Kosuke turns around with the broken Hikari cradled in his arms. She halts, stunned for a moment, taking in the sight of blood with an almost dead boy buried underneath it. The form is so helpless.

"Oh!" She automatically rushes to put her fingers to Satoshi's neck, checking for a pulse. Weak, barely there, but she finds one. Tears in her eyes, she hurriedly takes charge of the situation.

"Dark, be on stand by. Papa, blankets! Kosuke, lie him on the bed, now!"

Kosuke quickly puts Hiwatari down on the fluffy bed he'd made, uncaring of all the messy blood.

"Put two pillows under his head and back. We have to keep him from choking on his blood. Papa, bring me the third drawer that's on the right side of the sink in the kitchen. Kosuke, a pillow under his feet, but don't wrap him in that just yet," she says to her husband as he retrieves the blanket and pillows. The mother's motherly instincts have won them her help.

Everyone scrambles to do as they are told. Fixing the boy on the bed, they hear a thump. Red hair can be seen over by Daisuke's bunk bed.

"Give him a minute then bring him over here someone. Thanks, Papa," Emiko says to her dad as he hands her the entire drawer from kitchen. She pulls out a pair of scissors and makes easy work out of Hikari's shirt. Getting that off, she puts her head on his thin chest, careful of the slight dip on his right side. She begins to analyze. _So cold! Not good at all. Barely a beat. Breathing is labored. Right lung is not working._ She quickly replaces her head with her frantic hands.

Feeling all up and down his abdomen for any signs of other internal damage, she notes none. Going back to the problem lung, she raises him up a bit with the help of her husband. Once, she slaps the Hikari on the back. Nothing happens. She tries again. This time there is a small response. Blue eyes flutter briefly as a small choking sound is heard, followed quickly by a little whine.

"Not good enough, Satoshi! You're going to have to try harder!" she coaxes. The sounds are heard again as Hiwatari desperately tries to get enough air in. Emiko hesitates, not wanting to think of the possibility. "Don't tell me your other lung is filling up..." She listens at his chest again, prompt up still by her husband. There is wheezing, with a terrible bubbling sound in the left. "No..." Her face falls. She looks up to her husband. He easily reads her expression.

"It's not hopeless yet," he counters. Hiwatari suddenly goes wide-eyed. Struggling for breath, blood comes trickling out. Convulsions start racking his frail body.

"His hearts failing, Kosuke!" Emiko sobs recognizing the signs. Kosuke lays the boy back down. He can't help the fact that he feels numb from the shock of all this. Daiki moves away, unable to look at a such a ruin of young life. "CPR! We have to administer it!" Emiko grabs for Satoshi.

"Emiko, enough. There was nothing to be done from the beginning." Daiki still refused to look their way. "If anything could be done, Dark would have to do it. But, that's a possibility that can't happen. He's spent too much magic in bringing the Hikari here so fast." Emiko looks back down as tears fall to mix with the blood on the young Hikari's chest.

**-****)*(****-**


	3. Chapter 3

**-****)*(****-**

Daisuke's POV 

_Too much. This is too much._

My body won't respond anymore. Whatever magic Dark used to get us home has throughly exhausted me. Everything feels like it's on fire, especially my back. All I can do is feel my heart breaking at my mom's cries, being too weak to even shift about.

_Hiwatari can't be dying. It's just too much!_ I can't grasp the possibility.

'Dark! You can't let this happen!' No response comes from him. I feel like I'm sinking into a pit, cringing from despair all the while for my friend who needs to be saved. Surely I can do something to help? _It was a fault of mine that allowed him hurt!_ My mental shouting does no good. Why is this happening?

'Dark, why won't you say something?' He's moving very slowly through my mind, but not answering. For the first time since my fourteenth birthday, I look at my other half as a true and terrible curse.

**'Daisuke,'** he finally says, scaring me some. **'If I do anything more at this point, you will die.'**

'You remember what I said. We either correct this situation, or we never work together again!' I don't care if I end up being like Satoshi with Krad. If Dark has powers that can harm this badly that easily then I refuse to allow him out! Anger grows after my mental shout. Can't tell whether it's mine, or his to be honest.

**'So, we kill ourself to make matters worse?' **Dark says with flaring heat. **'That doesn't ****seem like a good way to solve anything to me.'**

'I hate you, Dark. You and Krad really are monsters! I can't believe you're inside me!'

**'Enough! ...Daisuke, you're saying that out of panic and fear. You know me better than that!' **he says in a low and patient tone.

'No, I don't. Not anymore...' I cry softly, empty yet full enough with emotions to burst at the same time. What could be only minutes later, I'm not sure, there comes a warmth that swirls around me.

_What? _ It confuses me. 'What is this?'

'**Crap! Daisuke, it's a spirit!'** Dark says nervously. **"If it touches you, do not allow it to pull you with it! Going with it will leave your body here to die!'**

'But, why is it interested me, Dark?' His sudden silence sends a chill down my back. Finally, he speaks. **'I think it's attracted by your emotions. But, I believe this spirit, this woman rather, is trying to reach through from your mother. ...She's trying to gain some form. She must be here for Satoshi.' **These words make me open my eyes. The sight before me makes me reach out, but I can't even crawl and a tear splashes out onto my outstretched arm. It takes all I can do to twist this way and that. I'm not even getting anywhere.

Hiwatari is draped in my mom's arms while she looks down at him with eyes overflowing. She's absolutely engulfed in the need to do something for him, having a big heart when it comes to taking care of someone in trouble.

Hiwatari jerks slightly and I can tell he is trying to tell her something with his eyes. My mom looks like she might break down at any second. His spasms are getting weaker and weaker. All I can think is, 'No! He's not ready! He shouldn't be dying!' I scream it over and over inside my mind, wanting it to stop. Dark begins trying to take over during this. Will he help? He pushes slightly, not wanting to fully take over for fear of killing me, I think.

Suddenly, all the warmth that swirls around leaves to solely focus on my mom. This time I sense the impression of femininity. Hiwatari's small jerks immediately stop. All the while my mom is in hysterics.

"Kosuke! Oh, Kosuke! His heart's stopping!" I gasp. _No!_

"Can't you think of anything we could do? Anything we might try for him?" she asks pleadingly, looking up at my dad. He just shakes his head softly, looking distressed.

"Satoshi," she says as she hugs him, "don't go just yet! I've been of no help!" Hiwatari takes an effort to look at her fully. Forget-me-not blue eyes opening a little more, just a little sparkle left in them now. _Nearly gone... he's nearly gone!_

"Mother?" he whispers, forcing out some of his precious remaining air while searching my mom's face. Never have I heard such a pained whisper, but oddly there is relief buried within it. His body bows upwards, unable to take much more of the stress. Sweat dampened blue hair falls from his shockingly white face. His eyes still refuses to show much of the excruciating pain. My mom reels, shocked at hearing his words. Never have I seen her look so emotionally fragile. He tenses once more with a content smile on his face. I'm too shocked to even think anymore, not noticing I'm holding my breath. _The spirit is his mother?_

His face tilts into my mom's hand and his glasses slide off as he sighs more than speaks out the words, "I thoug- ...you... were gon-" he doesn't finish. I see a small tear slide into her hand and the whole house falls into a dreaded silence. Then, everything goes cold. Or, was it just me? I not sure if it's the stress of the magics, the shock at the events, or just cause I held my breath too long, but the next thing I know, darkness comes up to greet me, rising up from that awful cold.

**'Daisuke?' **Dark calls with panic, **'Don't you go too!'**

I can't answer him as I pitch forward, though I notice something that only lasts a second in the inky black depths. A beautiful woman with long flowing hair holds her smiling son. But after the brief flash, everything goes blissfully quiet and I finally find a bit of peace away from all the unbelievably drastic events of today.

**"Son, it wasn't your time," **the woman's voice is the purest of melodies.

_Hiwatari... _

…...

…...

**-.-**

Dark's POV 

_ I've done it. After all my years, I'm finally responsible for an untimely death, _I think in the blackened-out cavern inside Daisuke's mind. At least Dai-chan didn't follow suit with Satoshi and his mother. He's still here, just unconscious. 'Recover quick, Daisuke.' Looking at my reflection cast from the black glass-like wall, I brood on his earlier comment.

_ A monster, eh?_ Guess it's true after what I've done now. I saw what killing did to my "other" half a few hundred years back. Not wanting to suffer the same fate, I promised I'd do anything at all to avoid killing someone as he had done, even look the other way... Now look at me. I've went and killed the very person that was apart of that white-winged jerk.

"What's it like, Krad? What's it like to die?" I look down at my hands only to see blood everywhere. It's the little Hikari's blood. My eyes flare wide.

_No!_ Falling to my knees, I grab my head and discover tears falling all around the empty space before me, the blood is no longer there. Stopping, I pull myself together and stare into the nothingness surrounding me. Without Daisuke being conscious, it's very much like a void in here. It's better than the chaos that was going a minute ago. I'm surprised Daisuke didn't pass out sooner.

With those thoughts again comes the terrible burden of guilt. It truly could have been what made my other so insane living with it day in and day out with our never-ending existence. Reflecting on this, I think that perhaps us "angels" can't handle doing such an evil thing.

I laugh. _Looks like I'm already heading that way too. _The hallucination earlier could be considered proof._ The two of us do share a lot in common, I guess. _I snicker at the irony of it, then tremble.

"I don't want to go crazy!" _Maybe Daisuke would be better off without me after all... _

"No! I won't run away from this. I'll get through it better than Krad. I need to be there for Daisuke. I refuse to become another evil curse."

Sitting there thinking of anything that might help ...which nothing comes to mind at the moment... a burning starts near my center.

"Huh?" I look down to see what the problem is. There's nothing but my black sleeveless undershirt. I look back up in thought again, not letting the bit of pain bother me. Still no idea of what I cou... "Wait!" I jump up in excitement. "I have an idea!"

"Ow!" My stomach suddenly threatens to burn. Grabbing it, I wince, but I ignore it again- for the moment- too excited in knowing what I can do to help. There is still a small bit of hope left, but Krad's power still has to be alive within Satoshi's body. And, that's not as impossible as it sounds. Traces of his magic should still be inside of Satoshi's blood. All I have to do is channel enough magic using the blood for a medium, and help him transform Satoshi's body. The lungs should inflate themselves easily enough with the expanding and some of the blood will be replaced as the body is forced to compensate for the increase in size.

"This could work!" _...I just hope his body isn't too far gone for this..._ I frown again, thinking this through thoroughly. It depends on if I can restart his heart and get the proper amount of blood flowing through quickly enough before any permanent damage is done. And, every second is counting against us on that. I just need a way of giving him some of my blood. No way will his body be able to replace enough of it through the change alone...

Hopefully once everything is done Satoshi's spirit will be able to re-enter his body and no complications will occur. Meaning that hopefully his heart is still in good condition after all that exertion, if not just a little tired. I grin with a thought. _Might have to keep shocking him a bit to keep it going. That could be fun._ I lean against the pitch black wall only to feel my stomach burn fire hot even as the hand pressed to it grows warm. I jerk again.

"Ah!" I gasp. "What? Ow!" This is getting seriously annoying now and it's not normal. Sweat starts gathering on my forehead. What could be wrong? I slide slowly to the black floor, shaking meagerly. … _What is this pain from?_ Thinking, I'm hit with a sudden realization: _It's must be because I've killed. This is my magic's way of rebelling against that... of sorts._

Magic is alive within the soul, so now that mine is in turmoil from my actions, said magic is turning on me. I grit my teeth in frustration. Either my magic will end up destroy me because of this guilt, or I will have to embrace what I've done. (And become another Krad.)

"No thanks, I'm not a killer," I speak out loud to no one in particular. The magic flares up again as if in response to my statement and I double over.

"Shi-" _Sorry, Daisuke. This wouldn't be great for you to wake up to, now would it?_

A desperate scream suddenly tears through the overbearing quietness, echoing everywhere at once.

I jump to my feet, knowing that voice anywhere!

"Krad!" I stand up and take a careful look around. "Krad! Where are you?" I demand in a shout, looking to the sides, above me, anywhere that his presences might be. All I see is the glass-like darkness. I don't even notice the pain in my stomach has suddenly vanished. If he's alive then there is no guilt to hurt me.

"You idiot! Answer me! Don't you dare be dead!" A glow flares up behind me, casting everything into white and gray. "What?" I feel a steady pulse of warmth. I put my hands up to cover my eyes as I turn around to face him. Before I can do much else, a biting cold wind starts blowing violently, quickly gaining even more tremendous force. I end up getting blown backward by a couple of steps.

"Krad, how did you reach inside of here?" I shout to the brightly lit figure of a very familiar angel. Unbelievable that he can do such a thing, especially with his Tamers body being dead. _Please let this mean that we're not too late to revive him! _

The only response is more biting wind. It feels like the fingers of death are closing in with every touch, wrapping around the bottom portion of my ribcage. "Don't think you can drag me with you, Krad! If that's what you're here for!" I start pulling forward, being drawn towards him. "Crap!" I step back. "Stop, Krad!"

"You will die before me, Dark Mousy... this I vow," he says with venom against the howling of the wind. Even with the wind battering me so hard, I can still hear him perfectly. So strange... maybe all this is a nightmare that I'll wake up from. Soon I hope...

**-****)*(****-**


	4. Chapter 4

**-****)*(****-**

A Few Minutes Prior 

Satoshi's POV 

There's nothing here. I'm not sure how long it has been, but at least I'm able to think coherently. This is... rather awkward. I wonder if I'm inside my own mind? Turning, I look everywhere, only to see nothing at all. Well then, where's Krad? Really, it can't be this empty inside myself. It's disturbing. Maybe something has happened? And I should have an idea as to how I came to be here. Why can't I remember? My thoughts start fading off again. …...

…...

…...

Sometime later, I feel a slap on my back. It drags me from out of oblivion, making my body come back into the equation, fully bringing awareness back with an aching twisting in my chest. It floods my senses. Personally, I'm no stranger to pain, but this goes quite a ways beyond the norm. A sense of suffocation comes next, along with my lost memories.

I remember not feeling well again this morning, the searching through a book. Going to school and Daisuke with Dark trying to "help" me. Of waking up in Dark's arms. ... Then Krad. Him and Dark pushing back and forth with their magics. The tearing inside, then blood.

Kind of a shocker really. I go blank, not knowing how I should feel about this. All the while there is so much pain. Does it really have to hurt this much to die? It's suppose to be an eternal sleep, darn it!

_I'm dying... _The fact sits heavily with me. A bitter taste forms in my mouth.

Just a few seconds later and I'm slapped again. _That hurt!_ A room comes into focus and I cough. If you can call it a cough. It was so horribly weak. But, there's probably no point in worrying about it. Too drained to care much anyway. I just want the suffering to end already! The frustration comes out as a pathetic whine.

"Not good enough, Satoshi! You're going to have to try harder!" I believe it's Daisuke's mother. Why does she want me to live? Doesn't she hate me along with the other Hikaris? Perhaps I will try again...

I try desperately to expand at least my left lung for some air for another attempt. A terrible pain blossoms without the relief of oxygen. Again, I feel a small twinge of panic. I didn't realize before, but my only lung left is following suit with the right one. Guess fate is truly against me today. Maybe it's saying it's time the cursed Hikaris are completely gone? Sooner than I expected, I admit, but in the end the result is the same. Still, I don't want it to end like this. I want to find at least some good in my existence first.

Getting back to the present and outside of my morbid thoughts~ :

"Don't tell me your other lung is filling up..." I feel a pressure on my left chest. I'm not use to this close of contact. "No..." She moves away.

_Yes, you've come to the same conclusion haven't you? _A small part of me that's still small and afraid shudders and panics. It was hoping there was a chance after all. Quickly, I crush that side of me. The least I can do now is to die without a fuss. Problems start occurring faster.

One second, I'm just prompt up where Daisuke's mom had me and the next the edges of my vision go blurred with gray. _Oh no... here we go. _I faintly hear her talking with someone in the background. Things start tunneling out for me.

Then, my lungs feel utterly crushed. It's the only way to describe it. There's no air whatsoever anymore. My eyes go wide as I feel a jolt and my heart begins slowing down. _Just stay calm and let your mind go blank. Things will be okay one way or another._ Right after, my body convulses in an effort to right itself. _It's useless._ But, my body doesn't listen. Self preservation is embedded deep. Someone lays me down as my heart beats out irregular patterns. _Cardiac arrest. So it begins._ Inside I fidget:_ Just don't let Daisuke see me like this!_ I feel horrified a second later once I realize something: _He's going to blame himself over this! I can't die now, or … _

Disorientation hits. No longer is there any pain, just an uplifting sort of peace. Never felt this before...

Then, the most wondrous thing happens. I see an image of my mother. She stands right in front of me - she who died so long ago. She's here with me...

"Mother?" I question, still unable to fully believe what is there, even with her scent filling my now restored breaths. It's that enigmatic sweet scent that seems to differ between every mother throughout the entire world. For some strange reason I feel like cooing. She nods and cries, looking so sad. "I thought you were gone." She grabs me, her beautiful long hair flowing out around both of us, and my head tilts into her embrace. So happy, I'm so happy. We aren't so far cursed after all. _Sorry Daisuke... _

**"Son, it wasn't your time," **she says in the lovely voice that I still remember clearly. I hug her, not wanting to let go. For a second, I see a bit of red somewhere outside of the tunnel. _Daisuke?..._ I'm so sleepy, and I want to stay here forever. Everything goes blissfully away after.

**-)*(-**


	5. Chapter 5

**-****)*(****-**

The Niwas 

All of the Niwa members, minus Daisuke whom was still asleep, were in the living room. The sun was shining as brightly as ever throughout the house, but it went unnoticed. Tragedies from earlier were still too fresh, and Emiko still had the tear marks left to show for it. All the while, Kosuke was standing behind her from the couch, lost in his deep thoughts. Daiki wasn't focused at all either. He, too, was lost within deep thoughts. A frown marred his old countenance. He pulled his hands to cover his face as he sighed deeply.

Indeed, misery lays heavily within the Niwa residence.

There was a surprise that came a little while later. About half an hour after, the song of a humpback whale came playing clearly and eerily through the whole house from out over the ocean, hitting high notes quickly and ending the first few waves on a long lower one. It was almost as if it was trying to say something.

"What?" Daiki jumped, startled from the haunting noise.

"What's that kind of whale doing this close to the shore way out here?" Kosuke addressed to no one specifically.

All except Emiko moved to look out of the large open windows, each trying to get a good view of the water. There was nothing to be seen, but the notes were still echoing around. It wouldn't take long for someone to report the unusual behavior pattern. The two men both hoped that reporters would decide not to make an evening story of this tonight. Emiko always got fidgety when newscasters were close to her home and she had had enough to deal with today.

"This is a strange phenomenon," Kosuke mused. Getting a weird feeling, he immediately turned around to head back upstairs to Daisuke. Emiko just stayed sitting, looking out over the ocean.

_Maybe they are celebrating the passing of Satoshi?_ She thought to herself. _Animals are in tuned to the supernatural, surely they would have felt his curse leave?_ She got up for the direction of the kitchen, but not before her father became aware of more tears.

**-.-**

Dark's POV 

"This is definitely a nightmare." There is no magic that I know of that allows this. "No way can you be here right now, Krad!"

"You underestimate my hatred, Mousy," Krad replies with a smirk as the strong whirl of wind still pours out from all around him. Sometimes, the guy really needs a good punch to the face. Most of the time, actually.

"Krad!" Hollering to be heard over the wind, I grimace. What I'm about to do is something I really don't want to have to do. Actually, maybe I can't do it! The words are stuck in my throat.

_Come on! Hurry up and do it!_ I struggle with myself. _This can't be a good idea!_ That creepy boy is going to owe me one when this is over! ...But, seriously, it's my only chance to fix what I did. … Better suck it up.

Again, I holler to be heard, "We need to link up our magics right now!" Immediately, the wind stops and I start wishing I hadn't said it. Working with this guy and getting as close to him as I'm gonna have to makes me feel rather … No word can describe this awful feeling, so never mind.

"You are asking me for my help?" he asks with prominent disbelief, but you can just hear the hidden laughter. That peeves me off. Though, I have a comeback thanks to the quick thinker that I am. I smile, enjoying the thought of horror I'm fixing to see on his angelic face.

"You're in no position to refuse! You need my help if you want to stay alive." I move my hands down from the front of my face now that I'm certain the wind has stopped for good. I want to see the damage. Yeah, he's none too happy. Score one for me!

Pressing on, "In case you haven't noticed, if we are still within our tamers when they die, we die too. For good," I add in case he doesn't get the whole picture. He seems disgruntled.

I wait while he considers something, not caring very much for the crazy look that's slowly coming into his eyes. Can't just once he act semi-normal? After a minute, he looks at me very strangely. I have no idea as to what's going on in his head, but it is giving me the chills. Resisting the urge to start a fight now...

"And, why would you be wanting to save me, Mousy?" he purrs out the question and I frown. I hate it when he talks like that to me.

"Thinking about Satoshi here, not you, Krad." Plainly telling him with sarcasm to stop that dreadful way of speaking.

"Ah, you are thinking of the little Niwa. Well, well." I cringe, because he's still using that purr! _Uck!_ He starts walking up very slowly to me, like a cat within easy reach of prey, and steps right up for our faces to meet. I stare, refusing to back away no matter how strong the temptation might be.

"All you have to do is think of yourself, Krad. So help me, I'd let you rot if it was possible." Hatefully, I move my face even closer to his. "Let's not mistake that." He grabs my left hand before I know it. Shocked from the unexpected move, I gasp and quickly try searching his face before his next move. I see him look and reach for my right.

"What are you doing, Krad?" I yell and pull my limbs away.

"I am trying to sync with you is all. Do you even remember how?" He smiles, obviously enjoying this. Darn it all!

"Barely," I throw back at him, not wanting to remember ourselves before the curse. But, the memories come flooding back anyways. We weren't always at odds...

We only began to fight once we were separated. I frown. I know that the first Hikari despised being cursed by his own artwork and wanted revenge on the Niwas for the thievery that caused it. And, Krad was mad at me for siding with the Niwas on sealing up most of the artworks after that. Perhaps Krad wanted the artworks to be given more of a chance? But there is no way to do so safely most of the time.

Later on, we were still unstable with ourselves and our magics from the split, we fought hard against each other one night. Krad ended up using a deadly move towards the end and by accident hurt an innocent young teenager. It wasn't long after that he became relentless in his attacks towards me. I could see the madness growing in his eyes every time we clashed. It twisted his anger towards me and threw him over the edge while still being in that confusing period. It really is no wonder why he's ended up the way he has.

My breath catches as I remember a lost memory from long ago. Seems it decided to come back since I've finally bothered to think about such things. It was of Krad crying out one night near morning. We had just drew back from another one of our endless battles. Flying away from him, I heard him. Then, the word "why". It was full of despair.

Now the sound won't stop replaying inside my head. I shut my eyes tight and shake myself, attempting to block it out and get my focus back. But one piece of memory won't let me be. And I'm still not sure if what happened next in the memory was caused by what- was at the time- a recent devision, or if it was caused by hallucinating, but I could feel Krad's emotions strongly. _Seeing_ that he wanted this existence to end, that he wanted things to go back to the way they were before. After that, nothing but hatred and blood lust came through what little link we still share. We became two different images of each other. He also became an infection.

"What has you in such deep thoughts that you do not even realize I have grabbed you, my other half?" Krad speaks. His breath mingles with mine, making me jump out of my stupor. Indeed, looking down, he has both of my hands tightly in his. I growl at him with bared teeth and narrow my eyes, forcing myself not to blush at him like some embarrassed girl. ...Though, the reasons would be very different, I can assure you...

"Let go, Krad," I hiss out. He tilts his head in amusement and looks at me with a smile. The long loose bang of his falls across his face.

"Weren't we going to sync our magics? Better hurry, that wind I was using earlier was a tapped source located past life's realm." I look at him questioningly and he just smiles again. _Uck!_

"It means, to put it simply, that since I am tied to Satoshi and he has passed from his body, the connection between us is dragging me with him. I was using my magic earlier with our link to try and pull you in as well. By the way," he finally returns my grim stare, "you'll be paying for hurting my Satoshi."

"If you hadn't tried to break out of him-"

"I was trying to protect us from the Niwas," he cuts in before I can finish. I glance down, away from him.

"Let's just do this and solve the problem," I speak sternly to end our needless conversation.

"Fine, Mousy. Start by reaching out of little Niwa towards Satoshi's body. But, first you'll have to sync with me. It'll be just like when we were one so long ago," he says with relish.

_I don't think so._ Reluctantly, I return the hold of his hands and close my eyes for better focus. He lifts our arms to chest level between us. _Man! I hate this! Alright, calm down. Focus and it will all be over with soon and we can go back to our normal lives of fighting each other._

Krad suddenly leans in to me, forcing me to open my eyes. White wings droop heavily around me and all his weight pushes on my left shoulder, making me use my right arm to prompt him up.

"What the hell, Kra-" I stop when I catch a glimpse of his face. The naturally pale skin looks even more so with a fearsome blue streaking his lips.

"Krad!" Taking him by the shoulders I shake him. "Don't die yet!"

"Then... hurry it up, ...Mousy," he speaks softly, sweat gathering on his brow. It's happening so fast all of a sudden! He must have pushed himself too hard. Arrogant prick!

"Fine!" Without another word, I scramble to tap into my own magic, being careful not to involve Daisuke with it. Weakly, I sense a flare of Krad's, but he begins drooping even further, falling into my arms. This causes me to fall over with his head on my chest while one elbow of his comes down on my stomach. It knocks the wind out of me as we hit the floor. _Sure is hard for there not to be any actual solid substance here,_ I think grimly. It takes me a minute to catch my breath back.

"Ah! Darn it, Krad! This isn't right!" I yell horrified at him when I can. This so doesn't look good! (Me on my back with him draped on top...)

Wiggling doesn't help either. "Get off!" He doesn't answer. In fact he doesn't respond in any way. "Krad?" Rolling out from under him, he gets rolled to his left side. Still no response of any kind. "No..."

Is it wrong that I've fought this jerk for so long only now to hate the sight of finally seeing him fallen? … He's quiet at least.

White feathers rest across the empty black flooring and sweat makes his hair cling to his face; a face so much like mine, yet so different. Before I realize what I'm doing, I've cupped his face! Just a small movement, but he jerks slightly. I pull my hand back abruptly.

"Whoa! Personalities overlapping here! This is your fault," I say down to him on one knee. He actually manages to smirk in response.

"Go ahead, Mousy. I am yours at this point." You can barely hear him. A utter wave of revulsion go down my spine.

"Say that again and I leave you here to die." Plainly, a disgusted note is in my voice. All he does is smile again. Weird...

**-.-**

Niwa House Hold 

Kosuke was up from the stairs and in time to see what looked liked a purple glow radiating deep within Daisuke's chest. He pulled up carefully to his son, studying the light and taking time to glance at his son's face to see if it was hurting him at all. A flicker made him look back down again. Carefully, he unbuttoned the pajama shirt that his mother changed the redhead into. Inside, little Daisuke's chest was not only the purple, but a tad gold as well. Frowning, he studied it harder. Little by little the gold was losing what bit of color it had. Understanding hit like a brick.

_Dark's magic and Krad's are within Daisuke! Amazing! And, Krad's still alive! _Another thought came to mind and quickly he went over to Hiwatari to pick him up. He headed back with the blue-haired boy's limp form. _Maybe there is still a chance._ Kosuke hoped, not daring to smile just yet, but wanting to.

"Just don't let Daisuke pay the price, Dark," he said as he placed Hiwatari gently on Daisuke's bed, nearest to the wall. He then took up one arm to place it near his son's. Daisuke immediately grabbed the other Tamer's hand as if aware, and easily linked them together.

Kosuke smiled slightly. _This may be a little easier than trying to reach all the way across the room._ He peered down at the two boys, hoping against all odds that whatever was going on would work for the both of them. Children should never suffer for mistakes made in the past.

Again, that flicker inside Daisuke caught Kosuke's eyes. He looked on, amazed when the light seeped up to become a mist. Purple and gold spun so rapidly together, yet Daisuke looked oblivious to it all in his sleep. Soon, the spinning slowed to almost a stop.

"No, something is going wrong, I think," Kosuke thought out loud. The spinning started up again in the opposite direction. Harder and faster it went, until it blended into a white flash. Instantly, the light zoomed into Hiwatari, lighting up his whole chest cavity. "Whoa..." Kosuke murmured while blinking rapidly to clear his suddenly blinded vision.

Never had he witnessed anything as spectacular as this! He watched from the side of the bed with bated breath.

"Come on, Satoshi," he coaxed. "Please come back. It shouldn't have to end like this for you." The light started fading, but it was still persistently moving throughout the frail chest. Again, purple magic started seeping from Daisuke. This time though, the redhead grunted once in pain, but still he slept in his exhausted slumber.

"Careful, Dark," Kosuke warned, not sure whether he could really be heard or not. The purple, this time without the gold to escort it, made it's way over to Hiwatari. Kosuke took a second to remove the borrowed shirt from Satoshi, wanting to help at least a little. The revealed light within brightened without the covering clothing. Observing it, Kosuke could make out some areas that were darker than others inside the small lit chest. Dark's magic went there, while the softer golden magic pulled it in.

"Unbelievable!" he breathed in awe.

Soon, the darker spots inside Hiwatari started lessening. The leaked internal blood was being cleansed and things were being repaired and healed.

"Come on! Work!" Tensed hands tightened into fists while waiting with hope steadily rising. After a few more minutes, the dips in where the lungs were set started expanding back into their normal positions.

"Miraculous work, guys!" Kosuke smiled at them. "Now to check." He lowered a hand to check for a pulse. He checked the neck, the wrist and finally the chest. No pulse within Satoshi.

"What could be wrong?" Pulling away in thought, Kosuke worried once again. "Maybe it was too late?" Wanting to keep watch over them, he sat down easily at the foot of the bed. Whatever was going to happen next wasn't be too far off.

**-****)*(****-**


	6. Chapter 6

**-****)*(****-**

Dark's POV 

There's not as much damage inside as I thought there would be. Everything is capable of working properly, which is a very fortunate thing. I'm not wanting to use too much more power. All we need to do is pull the leaked blood back, seal the ripped artery and veins, then clear the lungs the rest of the way and restart his heart. I admit that the tears here are severe, but it's nothing that can't be handled easily enough.

This will take some time though. I don't want to push too fast for Daisuke's sake. It may be my magics, but it still has to pass through him first. Meanwhile, Krad has weakened down even more. He's become nothing more than a small pulse of light. If he goes out all the way, then my magic won't be absorbed by Satoshi well enough to work.

"Hey, Krad! Get back into the game! We haven't that much time!" I yell to him using our link. (Luckily, reforming the old link wasn't so bad. We have no possibility of merging more than our magics with it after all. _Thank goodness, for he would have tried something!_ We've become too different in our time apart. That, and I kept drawing away every time I sensed his thoughts. Not a good tracked mind let me tell you!)

"Currently, I'm focusing on increasing that time, Mousy!" He's gathered more strength from me than I thought, his voice is certainly strong enough.

"What do you mean?" I want to find out what he's up too so I look around. Man, how Krad ever gets this body too change I'll never know. There barely seems to be enough nutrients here to sustain itself. Was Satoshi trying to keep himself deliberately weak? Jeez, I wouldn't doubt it on account of Krad. Steadily I keep working on redirecting the blood back from the flooded lungs, all the while I'm trying not to focus on the gruesome sight. I'm getting just a little queasy, even if I am just a spirit right now.

"You can't just repair and revive. I'm busy here keeping all the organs from shutting down, which I've been doing since his heart first stopped, Moron!" The increased stress has knocked his mood and usual sense of "elegance" down a notch. If I wasn't pissed at missing the obvious, I'd grin.

"Right, just make sure he doesn't go brain-dead, or end up with some mental prob-... never mind." Shutting up. Thing is, Krad decides not to pursue this. I'm wondering if that's a good thing, or a bad thing. I can still sense him clearly, so it's got to be a good thing.

"Mousy, are you almost finished?" I can hear the struggle back in his voice.

"Two more minutes, Krad!" _Hold in there!_

"Hurry! I have already had to back off on some of the power towards the muscles."

"I'm going as fast as I can! What's the future consequences?"

"Cannot say, but at this point, probably just severe cramps. About to lose some of the movement, though, if you do not speed up!" I see the gold die down a little more.

"Hold on, I've almost got the last passage cleared and I will have to have Daisuke's help for a current to restart the heart." Thus warning him not to let up at all yet. (Daisuke's current will actually be a few of his own heart's electrical signals. They will be the key that brings Satoshi's body back into life again. From there it's up to Krad.)

A few more minutes and it's finished.

"Done!" I shout out. "Give me a sec, then try to transform!" Wasting no time, I focus back to Daisuke. Turning, I force my persona into his consciousness.

"Sorry for having to wake you, Daisuke, but Satoshi needs us now," Laughingly, I recall the memory of sneaking control while he had slept during one of our school trips. Eventually, I ended up facing Krad out there and it wasn't until we got blasted by him that Daisuke finally woke up. . . after I had put him right beside it.

"Please don't be so hard this time," I sigh. The good news is he doesn't have to be fully awake, just conscious enough for me to take hold. Diving in feels the same as waking from a dream. Slowly, I open our eyes. The ceiling of Daisuke's room comes flickering into focus and I notice a shadow by my feet at the same time. Looking that way, I see Kosuke.

"Where's the others?" Moving to sit up makes pain slice through me. "Ow!" My hand reaches of it's own accord to my back. Poor Daisuke! I really did a number to him...

"Don't move, Dark. Emiko had to bandage your back. I personally think you need stitches," Kosuke says.

I look at him curiously. " How did you know it was me?"

"Because your eyes are amethyst, Dark." He lifts a finger to point it out. Surprise registers on my face.

"I wonder if this means my magic overspilled?" I place my hand to my chin in thought. _I should look just like Daisuke. _Like that time I sneaked out with Riku, I'm not using any magic. Therefore my eyes should be crimson.

"Is this a bad sign?" I look up to him, sent out of my thoughts from his voice, which holds anger and worry. Two emotions that are also reflected in his eyes.

"It could be. Daisuke doesn't need to be near anymore of it today." Suddenly, the cover catches my eye and I find them interesting. Well, not really, I just don't want to keep looking at Kosuke. I'm starting to feel like a little kid who's made a very big mistake, and only keeps making it worse at that! _Curse you, Daisuke! It's your catchy innocences that's making me feel this way!_

"Listen, it's probably just a little I accidentally used to bring myself out. If anything starts to happen I'll go back immediately, right now Krad is waiting on me to jump start Creepy Boy's heart here." Freeing my hand from said Creepy, I point to him. "We may be able to bring him back." Looking down at him, a sudden and overwhelming sadness comes. That's baffling. It's then that shameful tears start falling to the covers, blurring my vision in the process.

"Daisuke? Is that you?" Kosuke pulls me into a gentle hug. I feel my/Daisuke's head nod.

**'Daisuke, since when have you been awake?'** Stunned, I ask him.

'I'm not sure, Dark,' he replies to me while sniffling into Kosuke's shoulder.

"It will be okay, Daisuke. Just let Dark work right now. Hiwatari might still make it through this," his father says while rubbing light circles on the back of a now hiccuping/sobbing Daisuke.

… This is too mushy for me... if they don't stop soon, I'm going to... to... Darn it! Now I'm crying! _Darn it, stop it!_

Quickly, I turn to pull back into Daisuke's mind, hoping to regain my lost composer before anyone can notice.

"Ow!" Daisuke and I say out loud at the same time. It hurts to move at all. Wait... Out loud... at the... same time? Daisuke's head has turned with me. "Huh?" We say again. Very confusing. I thought I'd given control over before I had moved. Surely me pulling back willingly would have done that?

"Daisuke?" Kosuke looks at me funny. What does he see, I wonder? Amethyst, or crimson?

"I'm not sure if I'm Daisuke, or Dark?" Weird... The thought crosses my mind to check my face just too see if there may be some telltale sign. But, before acting on it, my hand is already reaching to do it. I freeze inside, and so does my hand. Too confusing... Who has control?

"Daisuke, tell me what's going on!" Kosuke reaches for me and I pull away. This is too much right now and we don't have much time to spare getting things in order. Okay, plainly I'm still here at the forefront, but so is he. That shouldn't be possible... Yes, I was reborn in him and became a part of him; another version of himself with my experiences and powers being the only differences between us, but because of that we shouldn't be this mixed up. So, what's going on?

Again, I try relinquishing control over to Daisuke, completely ignoring Krad and Satoshi's predicament for the moment. Nothing that can be done until we solve this matter after all.

Concentrating, I close my eyes and tilt my head back. I feel Kosuke move carefully off the bed. _Resist the urge to see what he's up too._ ...I know Daisuke is here... Dark is here too... Okay, that was freaky. Was I talking about myself here?

_I know! Think of a random thought! Then, I can tell who I am!_ Okay, it has to be random so... 3...2...1... _Riku!_ … _We both like Riku._ That didn't help at all. So, now what?

Before my eyes fully open, I get pulled up off the bed abruptly.

"Ow! Kosuke! What the hell are you doing?" I yell at him as he picks me up way too easily.

"Taking you to Daiki," he answers. "He'll know what's going on, but I'm guessing that was you, Dark." More easily now, he starts walking forward with me, and adjusts so that I'm cradled in his arms. Embarrassing! And confusing! One second I feel like clobbering Kosuke, then the next all I feel is panic.

'**Daisuke, calm down, you're making me jittery! … Daisuke?'** No answer, but he's here without a doubt. Only he could be this nervous.

As we round the stairs and the living room comes into view, along with all of it's occupants, I begin to feel extremely light-headed. _Not good. _

"Ah..." More confusion comes as I'm assaulted with memories from out of the blue. _What's with this?_

Images of people whom I'm talking to, laughing with, but whose names I can't remember; familiar places and buildings whiz by just out of my vision; voices and sirens along with the panic and thrill from being the cause of them; watching the moon on a clear night while crying softly for my only true love; crying because I don't want another person inside of me. Pain; sorrow; joy; love. They're coming too quickly back and forth! I see a school building with kids filing through the front doors, with two brown-haired girls that stand out to me more than the rest for some reason. _Oh, the twins._ I dully remember. Then, something blue... White feathers blow by on an unfelt breeze, the shapes start blurring into a sea of colors.

Then, overload. And like a screen, I go blank.

…

Who is this old man and a younger woman I'm by? A rabbit-like creature is on her left shoulder. It seems very familiar. Something is wrong with me. Their faces say it clearly, but hell if I have a clue as too what's going on anymore. My head hurts terribly.

**-.-**

A Minute Prior 

Niwa Household's POV 

Emiko was just having some tea when beloved With hopped onto her shoulder.

"Kyuu!"

"With, you're wanting me to cheer up, aren't you?" Taking the cute little creature down, she held him on her lap while sitting on the couch. Every now and again, her father would try to talk to her about something or another, just working on getting a fraction of her normal self back in order. She knew she shouldn't have felt so strongly for a small Hikari, but...

Her husband's urgent steps echoing from the stairs snatched her attention. Daiki also sat up, but Kosuke came into view before he could stand up. One look at Kosuke's face said to her how worried he was. She looked at his arms, drawn to them a second later. Daisuke was there and didn't seem well at all. His face was lacking color and dark circles were forming even as she watched under his eyes. And, speaking of his eyes, they weren't their usual crimson. They looked rather darker and wouldn't quit jerking around.

Kosuke stopped next her, but faced her father. Daisuke gulped like he was in some sort of trouble. And, just as Kosuke was about to tell Daiki something, Daisuke went slack in his arms.

"Daisuke?" Kosuke glanced down.

"What happened, Kosuke?" Daiki asked, having come closer and examined the quiet redhead.

"What's wrong with my baby?" Emiko busted out crying. Her hand flew to the Daisuke's forehead. Clearly she was still traumatized from earlier and afraid the circumstances were going to repeat with her son.

"Dark was preforming some sort of magic on Hiwatari while Daisuke slept. When he woke, I'm sure it was Dark in control; his eyes were that color amethyst. But, once he looked down I saw a flicker of crimson in them and he started crying. That was Daisuke, I think," Kosuke spoke in a rush, but clear enough to understand easily.

"Then what happened?" Daiki asked when Kosuke paused. They took a second to go around to the couch to set Daisuke there comfortably. Emiko raced out of the room to grab something from the closet.

"After that he jerked and said "ow"," he continued after putting his son down. "Immediately, his sniffles stopped and I figured Dark took back control. But, when I touched him he jerked away." A look of utmost confusion etched on Kosuke's face.

"Why did he do that?" Emiko eyed her husband while putting a cool cloth on her son's forehead. All the while, Daiki takes all of this in stride, calmly trying to piece facts together.

"When I called out to Daisuke, he just said that he wasn't sure who he was between the two." Kosuke didn't like the troubled look this brought to Daiki.

"What is going on?" Emiko asked, spilling more tears. She attempted to rein her emotions in and stay focused. It just wasn't working very well.

Daiki made his way to a set of open windows. A ocean breeze came through along with a few scattered notes of the strange whale's song. Clearly, the old man knew something and was highly troubled about it.

"Papa," Emiko went over to him. "What does this mean? Will my boy be alright? Will Dark?" The room went very silent. No one talked, no song from the ocean plays. The breeze suddenly became ominous to Emiko. Fear, a living entity, began churning her stomach until she wanted to gag from it.

"Something has made Dark unstable," Daiki finally spoke, making everyone jump. "I can't be sure how it has happened, but I think there is no more Daisuke, nor Dark anymore." This took a moment to sink into the two adults. Once it did, Emiko dropped fast.

"Emiko!" Kosuke rushed to her.

"What do you mean exactly," he asked while picking up Emiko from the floor. Daiki turned around to face the room.

"It means, from the sound of it, some freak accident has caused Dark and Daisuke to fully merge." And, this didn't sound good judging from the old man's tone.

"Dark's past could over load Daisuke, couldn't it?" Kosuke could easily see this possibility. Daiki just put his head down in quiet affirmation.

"There's a reason as to why Dark is reborn as part of his Tamer, not all of him. If it wasn't for this, then the Tamer wouldn't last the night of his fourteenth birthday." Grimly, he turned back around and faced the open window.

**-****)*(****-**


	7. Chapter 7

**-****)*(****-**

Normal POV 

A day like so many others was passing through town. People from all over were happily going from destination to destination, minding their own business, which for the most part was carefree. But, there was something out of the ordinary. Down by the ocean many people had gathered to watch it. They were looking for the strange whale that had started its singing about ten minutes ago.

To witness the water was to see a beautiful deep blue that stretched and held the many rays of the sun. It was almost too brilliant to look upon. It's surface lit up with what appeared to be encrusted diamonds. The people- reporters and animal lovers alike- were determined to catch at least a glimpse of the awe inspiring giant that was so unusual to be found there. Cameras held at the ready. Finally a gush of water was heard and then spotted. The whale had decided to break the surface at last. The sound of clicking from pictures being took happened all at once.

Inside the Niwa home however, things were not as cheerful.

Kosuke knew without a doubt that this was the worst day of his life. Picking Emiko off the floor, he headed towards their room to lay her down. Leaving Emiko's side, he returned a minute later with a cool rag.

"What can be done for our son, Emiko?" he asked while dampening her face with the cloth. She didn't respond. He expected as much. He never would have voiced his worry if she was conscious. He removed the cloth to place his hand tenderly on her cheek. "I'm not sure what can be done, or how this will all work out. Please forgive me if I make a mistake." Kosuke replaced the washcloth, then left the room for the basement.

Daiki, meanwhile, continued to stare out of the open windows, watching the reporters with vague interest. _Why do I have such a bad feeling about them?_ He wondered as he looked down at them all. Turning back to the living room, he checked on his grandson. _It had better not end up being the end of both the Hikaris and the Niwas this day!_ With everyone busy with their own thing, no one heard the slight coughing sounds coming from upstairs.

**-.-**

Dark or Daisuke's POV 

_What hit me, then backed up for the sheer pleasure of hitting me again?_ I reach for my head, finding I'm unable to move. Okay... panic starts to rise because now I'm thinking I really have been ran over by something! _Think! What happened?_ Nothing comes from the fog embedded in my brain, which hurts. In fact that pain is everywhere, not just inside my head.

_What party did I go to? _The only thing that could explain this is some sort of wild party, right? Maybe somebody slipped me something and this is the after affects of a drug? Though I know better than to ever fall victim to such a simple trap as that. Fear jumps through me at the possibility of it being true. Wouldn't you know my body decides to finally listen and jump too? I thud on the carpeted floor.

"Ow! That _really_ hurt!" I howl out. Well, whoever might have drugged me knows I'm awake now. Good, I'll kill them if I find they've touched me in anyway! With tears on my face and a hand grabbing my sore shoulder, wearily my watery eyes check out my location. Turning all around to check the place out gives me nothing but the feeling that I've forgotten something very important. Whatever it is I can't remember it. ... I gasp, unable to recall anything! When I try to remember where I live, or even my own name there's nothing but a blank! What on Earth happened to me? Maybe I've just hit my head on something. That would explain a lot about the aching. It's better than the thought of drugs being involved anyway.

Not realizing it, I've gotten up to literally run in panicked circles._ Stop, get a hold of yourself, you're made of better stuff than this!_ Alright, there has to be something I can remember... age? No... Work place?... No... Favorite food? No... Nothing about myself comes to mind, which is really darn weird considering I still know English. Why couldn't the whole of my mind have just gone blank if so much had to go? Would've saved me the trouble of worrying so much. My brain hurts. Sitting in a huff, I give up.

"Well, at least you're alive." Jumping out of my skin and making a frightened "eep" noise is my response to this unexpected statement. Yeah, cool isn't it? How could I have failed to notice someone was in the room with me? Directly in front by a set of windows is an old man. Perhaps I didn't see him because he stands as still as a statue.

"Tell me what your thinking," he says. With that everything goes quiet. Looking at him with a startled smile is all the answer he'll get.

"Daisuke? Dark? Does that ring a bell with you at all?" He walks forward as he says this to me.

"Don't you d-dare come any c-closer to me you perverted old man! What do you think you're doing knocking me out then asking me questions, huh?" I started off on my rant a little shakily, but it got firmer and more bolder towards the end. He stops coming closer and looks at me strangely. After a slight awkward pause he speaks again.

"Is that some random memory from the past you're stuck in, or is that what you think has happened?"

"What are you talking about, old man? Being stuck in a memory, what's up with that?" Without moving too much too fast, I lift up, preparing to bolt to whatever door I can possibly reach first.

"Don't you run. You'll hurt yourself right now. Can't you remember me at all?" he asks sadly. I freeze, even though he begins coming closer. _Run you idiot!_ Part of me yells. _No, he knows me and somehow I know him. _He pulls up beside me and sits down. Though I'm uncomfortable with it, I let him.

"So, you know me." A simple statement, not a question. "What happened and why can't I remember?" Turning in the plushy couch, we face each other. Guess my face looks kinda scary because he flinches a bit. Why does the word "monster" keep coming to mind?

"First, tell me anything that you remember."

"Why? Are you my therapist?" This makes him look pleased.

"In a way, he remarks.

"Oh? What a convenience for me then!" I say, happily sarcastic.

"All of your personality is there, just none of the memories, eh?" he questions with a raised eyebrow. That throws me off. I would love to say, "Screw you!", but somethings telling me not to.

"All I know is I can't place ANYTHING!" It comes out as a half cry, half yell in my frustration. I'm going to go with this minuet feeling of trust that's buried between us. I have to open up to someone, right? So, okay. This is what he asked for, so he better not complain later.

"All that I have is a headache. It's like the pain is wrapped around and obscuring the better details of myself." He leans back and sighs. As for me, gritting my teeth works just fine. _Let's just see where this leads._

"Give yourself some time and count yourself lucky. Things may go back to normal here soon. Just don't try anything foolish. Trust me, it'd backfire on you." He sounds so very confident of that fact. Deep inside, I trust that fact. Wish to know why though. Suddenly, every sense I possess screams something is wrong. This causes me to tense.

"What's wrong?" He takes notice of me. I jump off the couch and mutter a quick, "I don't know." Whatever this is, it's coming from a floor above us. Scanning the roof to pin point the disturbance, he follows my gaze.

"Could it be Krad? Dark, you should check it out." You could barely catch the underlining worry in his voice.

"Krad? Dark?" I take the time to glance at him in question, then I'm running all out for the stairs with the old man right behind me. Well, he's keeping up fair enough anyway. Just as I reach the stairs there is a dreadful sound. It's like a moan only softer, like the wind brushing past you. My skin grows cold from the oddness of it.

"What was that?" I whisper low over my shoulder to him.

"I didn't hear anything," he says seriously. Great, now he's watching me like I might fall over, or something. I narrow my eyes, telling him to stop. I'm not a child... am I? Shaking my head, I restart the run upstairs. Once it levels off into a room, white feathers come into view, strewn in all directions. This triggers an image. A humid summers night plays in my mind and I'm in the sky, level it seems with the full moon that's rising. Huge and reflecting orange, it creates a contrast against the giant white wings of an angel. Sensing his hate, I flinch but do not back down.

"I'll fight, Krad. To the bitter end," the words ring out, but I'm not sure if they're mine, or not.

"You are half of me, Dark Mousy, but I cannot allow you to keep doing this night after night. If I must hate you too fight with you, than so be it. I shall hate with the same passion as that of my love! After all, one can not help but to love one's own self. The memory dissipates away like broken crystals. I'm once again left with a room that looks as though someone has held an epic pillow fight.

**'Dark?' **The voice calls from inside my own head. My feet seem to move forward on their own accord. Caught in this partial trance, I come up to a boy's figure on the bed. Pale as death and tinged with blue it's clear he's dead. So, why is there an aura inside him? And so begins a quick sequence of fate:

I touch the body, drawn towards the heart. A warmth so strong suddenly blows through the room with unbelievable force. Somehow, I'm not startled by it. Something reassures me that is suppose to happen. When I make contact with the body, I feel my own heart stop. It's an unexpected shock and I slump forward, seeing a beautiful transparent woman lay another transparent something on top where my hand still sets. More warmth rushes over. I can't determine much as my vision fades some, but I know whatever was laid on top was the boy's spirit. From there my heart kicks back in with a sickening speeding pace. Everything spins before my eyes from the lack of oxygen in my frenzied system. Hurriedly, I shuffle backwards, trying to put some distance between the corpse and me. _That was too freaky! _I think with a hand over my face.

"What's going on?" The old man shouts above the supernatural wind now beginning to spin violently within the room. I only shake my head, having no voice to reply. My energy decides to fade fast, almost like the wind is somehow feeding off of me. I go to my knees unable to stand any longer. I've really put myself in a mess. As my eyes roll back and I fall forward, I hear a cry from the boy's body. Something tells me that I did right, so I smile. Before the floor greets me, I'm out.

**-****)*(****-**


	8. Chapter 8

**-****)*(****-**

Satoshi's POV 

Can you imagine being dropped from a tornado? Well, that is what it felt like had just happened to me. And, whatever I'd hit when I landed felt horrible. The only thing to compare it to would be sinking into a shell that's too tight for you. Pain becomes real again and I cringe.

'Not again! Mother! Please!' Not wanting to leave her, I cry out for her. It takes a minute, as if we're growing farther apart from each other, but she finally answers me.

**'Satoshi, you have much to learn yet. There is still time for the things that you _must_ do. I'm sorry to have to leave you again, but this is not your time. I'll be watching over you, beloved son. That I promise...'** With that, her voice fades away to nothing and I'm left torn once more. The only figure that I knew loved me, was gone from me a second time. A broken heart is the worst pain of all in life.

**'Master Satoshi!' **A voice rings through my mind. _Please be kidding me... _

'Krad?'

**'Yes, it is me. You are finally back. Now rest awhile.' **Immediately he starts forcing my will down with his own.

'Stop, Krad! You're not getting out!'

**'If you want to live then you will let me take over. Can you not feel that we are not breathing properly? If you don't hurry and let up, the spasms may start again.' **

'No, I'm numb at the moment, so I can't differentiate between anything. And, you're not getting out! You're not killing anyone!'

**'Tsk, Master. I'd be too weak to do more than flap a wing at that Niwa kid. Besides, it was Dark who decided to help us. It _would_ be best for us to wait before we start the fighting. There is no fun to be had when we are all so pathetically weak, anyway.'**

'Krad?' This doesn't sound like the Krad I know. What did he and Dark do while I was "out"?

**'Yes?'**

'You're very close to scaring me. You are still a headstrong jerk, that much won't ever change, but there's more... emotion. You're not just wanting to kill anymore.' I'm getting more and more puzzled at these differences in Krad, but before I can ponder much more, his temper rises. He begins pushing and my weak body starts heeding him, but not without a fight first.

"Gah!" My eyes snap open too see Niwa's father right above me. Everything comes back into the picture at that moment. A wind is raging inside of the room and I lean up facing the right, seeing everything in the room caught in some sort of vortex. He is somewhere over there, I sense him even if his aura is a little off. I'm not given time enough to wonder why as Krad pushes again. His magic- though weak- is helping him. Doubling over I grab my sore chest, feeling it strain. A pair of hands go to my shoulders, forcing me to lie back down on the bed. In vain I struggle, wanting to free myself.

"Stay down, Satoshi!" Kosuke hollers to be heard over the howling in our ears. I see a rather big book, like a dictionary, fly overhead. That was close.

"But, Daisuke!" I'm not sure he heard me. I can't speak well over the roaring wind.

"Him and Daiki are fine! They're in the center where it's calmer!" Again, that book catches my eye as it comes around. It's much lower this time, forcing me to reach up and pull him down over me. He obeys my tug and that darn book goes sailing past us for a second time. Needless to say this puts us in an awkward position. At least he placed his arms to either side of me and kept his weight from squishing me. We don't stay like this for long. This time something heads right for us. Because I'm not able to get up, he puts his arms under me and with a small roll we land on the floor. A crash happens a second later as what I now believe was a computer screen slammed into the wall above the bed where we just were.

From here I can see Niwa and his grandfather huddled on the floor. Niwa doesn't seem to be conscious. _Oh no... Dai-_ When wincing from Krad a third time, Kosuke speaks.

"Sorry about that. That couldn't have felt good with your wounds." He rubs the back of his head in that nervous gesture. I just look on with disbelief. Seriously, when it comes to Krad, Niwa and his father really have no clue. Daisuke didn't notice Krad either until he'd overpowered me the first time. Now it seems his father can't sense him. Maybe that's normal? He doesn't have any of the Niwa family blood in him. They really should be more prepared for what they get themselves into.

The wind doesn't die down even a fraction. Without studying it I can easily tell it isn't from this realm originally. What's holding it here? Something shatters close to my left and I jerk when glass cuts across my cheek. Kosuke makes a move to lean sideways; trying to put me between him and the side of the bed. I don't let him. Grounding my teeth, I've had enough of this. Unsteadily rising up, the darn wind howls harder, nearly knocking me right back over. The only thing keeping me up is the sheer willpower not to fall back on top of Kosuke.

The grandfather is protecting Niwa the best he can. He knows how to handle magic, that much is obvious. He bats away what few objects make it close to them almost with ease. But, he's wearing down fast. The objects are continually increasing around them. One comes directly at my face as I try walking over to them and I feel my temper rise another notch. It's that darn dictionary coming for a third round! For the love of...! Projecting a small barrier into my palm, I smack the book away. It breaks down into bits of paper. I didn't mean to do that! I turn, looking at the papery mess swirling behind me. All I meant to do was knock it out that way... At least we won't have to worry about it anymore.

Facing back to the front shows Daisuke waking up. He glances around clueless for a moment before looking up at me. Something is wrong with his eyes. Why are they such a wrong color red? Why is all that inner turmoil visible? Again, something crashes and both of us cover our faces. Glass flies around, luckily missing us.

"Enough is enough!" My temper flares hotter and so does Krad's magics. I won't give in to him yet, though. I hold out a white feather, pumping _my_ magic into it. Opting for calm, I move my medium towards each piece of debris and shove them all out the balcony window, not caring how far they go, or where it all lands, unfortunately. Krad tries harder to take hold during the chaos.

**"My turn, Master Satoshi. Before you kill yourself a second time today," **his voice flows like silk through my head. Even though I don't want it to, my body starts changing. I hate this curse! His magic starts pumping like fresh blood throughout my limbs and my heart flips for a brief moment. It's then that my muscles start protesting. Caught in the agony, there's not much to do. Krad isn't having the best time coming out and something isn't adding up. Suddenly, there are arms around my middle.

"Hiwatari?" Niwa gazes up to me and questions. Not able to spare him an answer, I fall to my knees, putting us at equal height. Something catches his attention and he looks to the side.

"Ah!" he gasps out loud, then he's tilting me to the side. Glass shoots by like daggers over our heads. One shard skims the tip off a red spike of his. A now loose strand of it brushes by my nose and I feel a sneeze. Perfect... It just had too...

_No! No! Don't sneeze! It might do more internal damage!_ I feel Krad channel his magic into my lungs. Still, I take my hand to hold my nose and the sneeze back. This trick never really worked for me, but something needs to go my way for once today.

More glass comes by again, and it's aimed low this time. Well, good news is I'm no longer plagued by a sneeze. But, as I look at the sharp glass heading our way, everything slows down again.

_Not this again._ This is what happened at school earlier. I glance at Daisuke. He appears to have noticed something more is amiss. _Am I blurring again?_ Slowly, I see surprise come across his face. Turning again to the shards, some sort of memory comes to me: I hear the sound of breaking glass. Suddenly, the sky looms in front of my eyes and tilts as I tumble down to the ground below. When I've come to, I'm laying in the lush dew covered grass. Glancing to my right, I see a black figure kneeling beside me. The tower where we were fighting is a short distance behind him. His wings are folded in, but I can still see the one that looks damaged and molted.

"You do realize _that_ is caused by siding with those filthy Niwas?" My speech is slurred from the impact of the fall.

"It's my choice, Krad. What they do is far better than what the Hikari have done." With that, he turns around with the newly stolen statue in his hands. The stone is shaped so perfectly that you'd be fooled into thinking it was made with soft fur if not for the moon reflecting off its hard surface.

"So, they are going to seal that too? Even though it is so harmless?" Questioning him, I already know the sickening answer. But, what he says proves different than my thoughts.

"No. This one called out to me."

"Kyuu!" The little statue comes to life in his arms and perches on his shoulders. Yet another that will side with those thieves. Anger explodes, and I fire a beam of pure energy towards him. I'm not sure how I missed being less than five feet away from him, but miss him I did. Instead, there was a young teenage woman secretly watching us by the tower. I never realized she was there until too late. Dark had already dodged and the woman screamed. Blood slung everywhere. Horror started seeping into me as I stared at the dark, wet covered bricks. Dark turns away from it to look down at me with wide eyes. I can see hatred there now. Shaking, I can feel mine for him rising and burning in my chest.

The burning is getting worse and I cry out. My voice is my own again as I come back to reality. The flying glass glows with a bright light and fragments into harmless dust. I turn to Daisuke, seeing only Dark in his place. His mouth is open in mild shock.

_** Now, to kill-**_

_No! You'll hurt Niwa!_ Grabbing my chest, I know it's too late to stop him. My back is already splitting from the wings. Pain blossoms again as my lungs are expanded and shoved back into place. I fall to my side as blood chokes me again. This time, I hack it up and can breathe properly.

"Hiwatari!" Niwa calls. It's a scared yell, and it's much too late. I've lost the battle. All my will gets pulled back and locked away. Sealing me.

Krad's POV 

The wings burst from my back one by one and I stretch them with relief. Finally, I can flap them again as hatred comes to the forefront. I am still having trouble with getting my body to expand. The muscles were slightly damaged after all. My vision goes red as I am jerked up a moment later.

"Daisuke," The father yells, "that's Krad! Stay away from him!" He gets up running, wanting to save the little Niwa. I smile and pounce on the boy, grabbing for his thin neck. He makes a choking sound that becomes lost in the wind as we hit the floor. His expression is glorious! I release a hand to grab his face and bend down to put mine right next to his. Footsteps fall close and I avert my eyes to see Kosuke standing there. Something glints silver is in his hands. Senses come alive telling me not to let it touch. Effortlessly, I use my magic to calm the wind into doing my bidding. The annoying man is thrown backwards and out of my sight. With him gone, my focus returns back on Dark and I let up some on my choke hold. He coughs for air and I laugh, breathing in the intoxicating panic coming off him.

"Die, Dark." Raising my fist, he goes very still. A petrified rabbit who is afraid of death. Something connects with my face in that instant and my hold gets broken. I'm shoved off and whirled around to face an old man. _How dare he do such to me?_ Frowning, my body finally expands the rest of the way to become my true self once more. Towering over the old man, he is still not as terrified as I would like him to be. Building my chi, I focus a gaze on him and he falls with a small cry. I won't bother killing him. He is nearly gone as it is. More shuffling, and the father shows himself again.

"Krad, we saved your life, both you and your Tamer's. Do you have no honor at all?" He stands there at the corner of the room where he had landed from my throw, standing with that blasted silver object still tightly in his grasp. That _thing_ has a vibe about it that I really do not like.

"Oh? Do you intend to teach me honor?" Smiling, I smoothly make my way forward and stop far enough back so he cannot use the object. I flare my wings out. Taking one, I knock the small item- which looks like it could be a sealing circle- out into the stairway. He looks as if he wants to dive after it. Taking my new found opening, he gets shoved backwards, leaving a nice dent in the wall. After watching him slide to the floor, I turn back for the little Niwa. He's making small pathetic noises now. Why hasn't Dark came out to face me? If I'm up and about, surely he is. Well, it just makes destroying the Niwas that much easier. The little boy sits up and scoots back every time to my steps. Eventually he runs out of room. His head jerks up with a gasp as I loom over him. I frown. Something is missing. This is not how it should be. Noticing a small glance he makes looking behind me, I turn my head. Without hearing her at all, the female and worst Niwa present holds what _is_ a sealing circle. Her stance is a fighting one.

"Stupid girl!" I have the advantage. But as my wings go to flare they freeze and start trembling.

"What?"

**'You will not hurt her!' **

'Do not start, they are our enemies! You know this!'

**'This is **_**my**_** will, Krad!'** My body begins drawing inwards and the female smiles, relaxing out of her stance.

"Glad you're alive, Satoshi." She slams the circle into the middle of my bare back. It begins heating up quickly. My magic cancels out with it and a force starts driving me back.

Satoshi'd POV 

I shudder back to normal with the hatred melting and my original will restoring as white feathers float down all around me. I've found myself freed, but exhausted. I stumble and fall to my side. Shaking and embarrassed, I manage to look up at her and mumble a "thank you". With no more energy left, my head flops down and my surroundings start fading into black. I hear clothing rustle when someone lifts me up a moment later. It brings me some what out of my stupor. Next time I'd better win the fight with Krad, or else Mrs. Niwa might be a specific target he decides to kill. He's raging a force in my head right now. And, that I'll be more than glad to ignore for a few hours to come.

"So that was Krad? I had no idea he would be so fierce! Looks like he didn't do any permanent damage here, though. I wonder why?" It was Kosuke's voice and it sounded a little winded.

"Now you see why I put up such a big fuss this morning?" Emiko asks almost haughtily. Her voice comes from right above me, so figuring it out, she's undoubtedly the one holding me. I wish I could tell her to put me down, but the voices fade after that and I'm left alone to recover.

**-.-**

Daisuke's, Or Dark's? POV 

That cursed boy is in the woman's arms. After what he did, she holds him close to her like a babe? That makes no sense to me.

"Hiwatari?" I say the name out loud. It had came to me when the boy had made it close to the old man and me. Then, those wings had burst out of him and my horror grew. I was so stupid! I got caught up in panicking... Those wings and wild eyes... When his looked into my own I'd recognized them from somewhere. He was going to kill me! Why?

Flashes of memories, or whatever the hell they are, keep going through my mind's eye. They span hundreds of eras, but that's impossible! These all can't be mine... I'd have to be some sort of ... what exactly?

"Man!" I hit the wall with aggression. This gets the attention of the couple.

"Daisuke!" She turns and begins walking over to me.

"Don't bring that monster!" I yell at her. She stops with a look. "I don't want him near me!" I glance over at the old man. He's been sitting up for awhile now. He, too, is looking at me strangely.

"What?" This should not be confusing logic for them.

"Dark?" he asks. Feeling like I've done something wrong, I look down.

"That's my name isn't it?" Questioning him, he continues.

"In part. But, you also go by Daisuke. Remember anything yet?" Looking at him, he sees my confusion.

"All I remember is fighting that winged _freak_ over and over again." I jab a finger toward the boy's still form. Why won't she put him down already? "And, why would I use two names? None of this is making any sense." Again, I glance at the old man. He frowns at me. Why? What did I do?

He sighs, then turns in the direction of the woman. "Emiko, have you seen With?"

"He was in my room downstairs before I came up here. He persistently kept trying to wake me up. It finally worked. Come to think about it, why hasn't he made it up here?" With? Who would be named With? But, the image of that cute fluffy thing that was on her shoulder earlier comes to mind.

"We need him," he says looking over at me. "He holds as many memories as you do. Maybe your connection with him will help you." He looks down, then gets up. "I just hope it's the right thing to do. What do you think, Kosuke?" He looks back up to the black haired guy in the corner.

"Perhaps With would be good for him. Just don't force anything on him with magic yet. Let his memories come a little at a time," he says, standing now but holding his stomach from where it got slammed a moment ago. Cringing, I think of the way that... whatever it was... just zeroed in on all of us. One by one it mowed us down so quickly. It was terrifying! I kept having flashes of fighting this... _person_ the entire time, too! My head hurts! I frown heavily while moving to get up.

"Let's go have an early dinner everyone. I must have fixed a full course meal waiting for you two too get home this morning." Emiko cheerfully proceeds down the stairs with Hiwatari. Meanwhile, I just decide to go with the flow. Following her lead, we all proceed to the kitchen.

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	9. Chapter 9

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Okay, so I know I've lost my memory. I also know that I'm currently in a house with people who know who I am and even through all of this craziness, everyone is cool. So, shouldn't that reassure me some?

Yeah, I just need to take it one tiny bit at a time. Things will come back to me, everything will make sense and my life will continue. No need to panic because all of this is so... I can't even think of the word. Great, my I.Q. must have went out the window too.

Frowning, I exit the room for the stairs, but before I can fully take the first step a grunt stops me. It came from the room I'd just vacated. I squint my eyes and frown in frustration. How stupid of me to forget the other two may need help. Quickly I take a sidestep back into the room to see.

Kosuke's gently holding his sore stomach while bracing a dizzy grandpa. _How inconsiderate of me to have walked away without a second thought._ Hopefully they're not mad at my rudeness. Probably not now that I think about it. Surely I'm not rude under normal circumstances? It's probably just the astonishment of the situation that made me forget my manners.

"Does anyone need a hand?" I speak to get their attention. Both men stop fumbling to look up at me. Suddenly I feel out of place. Maybe I don't regularly have good manners. That makes me feel ashamed at myself. Perhaps my face gives away my thoughts, because Kosuke smiles in a comforting way.

"It's okay, Daisuke. I have it from here." He glances down at the old man. "Luckily, we didn't get hurt so much as winded." The old timer chuckles and moves to stand up on his own. Relief flows through me at seeing that he's not injured.

"I maybe old, but I'm still tough. I'm not going to go down that easily just yet." With only tiny winces he stretches. "Focus on yourself for now, Daisuke and try not to worry. Things here maybe crazy, but they will makes sense to you soon." Before he continues, something changes about his demeanor and I freeze up on the inside. "Just promise me when the memories start coming back that you'll take them calmly." His almost neutral expression is careful not to give much away, but his sternness holds plenty of caution. I'm not sure how to take this. It's scary to think there is something about myself that could floor me right back out of my mind. At least, that's how I'm interpreting this. I blink at him owlishly, a simple plea for his understanding.

Kosuke sees this and walks over next to me. When he reaches out to hug me, I let him. And, it's the best feeling I've had since I woke up to this mess on the couch. Tears sting the corners of my eyes, but I refuse to let them fall and be seen.

"Daisuke," he starts then pauses for a second. "If nothing else remember that we're here for you always. If things become too great to handle, give it a moment and talk to us in the meantime. I promise after we relax with the good meal Emiko has for us we'll explain things a little better. And With might just be able to help you a lot more than we can. You'll make it through, I promise you."

My unsteady world suddenly found a brace and the relief that came was enormous. I return the hug clumsily at first. Not trusting my voice at the moment, I nod into his chest in answer, then I gasp and step away. I hadn't thought at all about his sore stomach.

"Kosuke, I'm so sorry! I didn't hurt you did I?" He looks at me with a small smile.

"Of course not. Now let's go before Emiko gets mad and refuses to feed us." Is it just me, or is there a hint of a sad vibe coming off of him? Could just be all the what-not events from earlier hanging around up here; supernatural stirrings and all that. Shrugging it off, I turn around for the stairway once again.

With all of the weird events going on it isn't a surprise when my cursed logic tells me to stop. We've almost made it halfway down before the impulse gets too great and I stop. This causes an unpleasant reaction behind me because before I can call out a warning, "gramps" trips over Kosuke whom then leans heavily against my back. I throw my arms to either side, bracing against the railing and wall. Grimacing, I attempt to keep them from tumbling down the rest of the way. _Smart move dumb ass! _

"Sorry everyone," I manage to say while holding their weight back. "But, for some reason there's this strong warning against us going down any farther." Kosuke shifts and for a second butterflies are set loose in my stomach. Certainly my weak hold will be broken? The carpet doesn't look so soft down there from up here.

"Daisuke!" the old man shouts. It sounds muffled and I wince. _He didn't land well. _"Move it! That trap was disabled long ago." After a few more wiggles and squirms that loosen my hold precariously, they finally get set and I let go. _A trap? That seems very familiar. _

"Okay, sorry." Well, this is embarrassing. Quickly, I resume walking to put distance between us, not bothering to look back. Behind me I hear Kosuke ask gramps what the trap was as he pulls him upright.

"Oh, nothing much. Just a couple of thin dipped throwing needles spring loaded to set off near your ankles."

Kosuke sounds horrified when he replies a moment later. "W-what? How could you set something like that up for him?"

"No need to worry, Kosuke. They were only dipped in an oil. I forget the name of it now, but it would cause nothing more than an itch. Kind of like a mosquito bite." The old one laughs then continues on while our feet thud gently against the stairs.

"I remember how Daisuke would set it off almost everyday while in his hurry to get to school. It was so bad one time he had to hop and scratch all the way there." Ceasing my walk, I turn to look at them. I can't believe the old man is that mean! At least Kosuke is wearing the same look as me. _Note to self: don't trust the old man. _I shake my head and start back for the kitchen. I can already smell the wonderful food and my stomach rumbles in appreciation. I didn't realize it, but I'm ravenous! There's a fine line of control left that keeps me from running. _I won't be rude again._ I'm determined._ But, couldn't they walk faster!_

The kitchen is beautiful. Sparkling clean, it shines like new with the sun filtering in through the open windows. A pleasant breeze comes in and the soft colors along the walls makes the whole kitchen feel enveloped in a sense of peace. But, the food is the focal point for me. Over a good-sized glass table it all stands present. Every inch of the glossy surface is covered. With the sun shining in on it, one could say it shines with love.

"Wow!" I breathe. "It's like Thanksgiving made Japanese style." Kosuke laughs at this, but he soon grabs his stomach with a grimace. Catching me watching, he goes into an embarrassed stance: the typical smile with the hand behind the head.

"Guess I'd better sit this out for now. I'll just find Emiko and let her know." Turning toward another door, he walks away. I watch him leave until I hear a chair move from beside me. _Darn, he picked the chair nearest the chicken._ Thinking this, I quickly shake my head and chastise myself. _That was a rude thought. If he wants the chicken let him have first serve, he is my elder after all._

I'm curious though. Where's Hiwatari? Maybe checking the arranged chairs would show me. I pull out a pushed in chair to look in it. _Obviously not here._ I go for the next chair which is turned at an angle. _Nope. And, the last chair is pulled too close to have him either. Then, where? _I start looking around the kitchen.

"Daisuke." I nearly jump at the sound of my name. "Come and eat. Worry later." Gramps points to the empty seat that I had first pulled out.

"Coming." But, I feel bad not waiting for everyone. He must able to read me because he goes into an explanation.

"Emiko is busy with Hiwatari and doesn't want us to let the food get cold. Not when she worked so hard on it, and Kosuke won't be able to eat just yet. You and I, however, need to keep our strength up and I see no reason why not to." But, instead of reaching for the nearby stack of plates, he grabs a newspaper instead and begins reading it. I take a seat and sit back to stare longingly at the food, not able to make myself ignore the others.

I feel him stare at me from over his newspaper. Looking at him confirms this.

"What?"

"Eat."

I shake my head. "Eat," he repeats, but Emiko rushing in stalls my next answering "no". The little rabbit is right behind her. It's a fluff ball that keeps careful stride with her.

"Kyuu! Kyuu!" Jumping happily, it hops right underneath the table. With all the food I can't see through to him. Deciding to ignore him for the moment, I find Emiko's busy sticking her head in a cupboard.

"Um..." I hesitate, not wanting to bother her. She quickly finds what she's looking for and comes back out. "Emiko, is Hiwatari alright?" She looks towards me while rinsing the small cup out.

"He's fine, dear. I'm not sure how, but he's only going to be sore for awhile. Liquids are a definite must right now. He's so dehydrated that I've got to wake him up somehow soon." She walks past the table for the door leading back to Hiwatari. She goes a small distance before stopping and turning back to me. Raising an eyebrow, she questions me.

"Why aren't you eating? The food is edible so eat." Gramps chuckles softly. I nod, giving up. _Fine, I get it._ When she doesn't immediately move, I grab for a plate.

"And, Papa, the same goes for you." Satisfied, she heads her way again. The old man sighs and I grab two plates.

"Want me to fix yours?" I ask him. He nods. Looking back at the food I wonderwhere to start.

We eat in silence for awhile. Then, after finishing my final plate, I get up to clean the dishes. And, there are a lot of dishes. I blush with embarrassment. Most of them are mine.

"Let the dish washer take care of those, Daisuke." A page of the newspaper gets turned as he says it.

"Right," I grab the stack and pile them into the washer. The door I was anxiously watching all throughout eating flies open as I fill up the soap container. Emiko was coming in carrying a bundle of some sort. She carefully makes her way over to the turned out chair. I close the door to the machine and start the device hurriedly, wanting to make it over to her fast.

_What in the world is she carrying? _

"Can I help you, Emiko?" Walking over to her side, I can see that the bundle is an intricately wrapped blanket. Sticking out everywhere at the nearest end at odd angles are tufts of slightly dampened blue hair. Halting fast, I stifle a laugh. _Oh, poor Hiwatari! He got a bath..._ (Having to put a hand over my mouth now.) 

"Yes, you can. Hand me the little cup on the sink counter." She goes to peeling the tips of the blanket from a small pale face ,not noticing the slight snorting noises that I'm making. He lips do looked parched. I frown upon noticing. Funny, I know what he can turn into, but I'm not frightened off by him. Perhaps my earlier out burst upstairs leaned more towards shock rather than fear. Straightening, I go to retrieve the cup.

"Emiko, you've become too attached to that Hikari," gramps states.

"Hush, Papa, he's not a bad kid," she retorts. Prompting him up gently, she smooths his hair away from his face. I agree with her. The more I look at Hiwatari, the more I feel this connection with him. Whatever that may mean.

"The cup, Daisuke. And fill it from the small pitcher over by the stove please." Snapping back shows I've stopped in my tracks. _Come on brain, walking and thinking at the same time are possible._

After handing the cup with the clear looking fluid to her I excuse myself back to my chair.

"Kyuu!" Something grabs my pants leg. Bending down under the table, With comes into sight.

"Kyuu. Kyuu!" He seems nice. Cute and fluffy with nice long ears and feet, plus big strawberry eyes. There even is a grin on his adorable face. Definitely not a regular rabbit.

"Alright, Hiwatari. Time to wake up, hon." Her voice causes me to look over in their general direction. From under here, I have a perfect view of "the bundle". Emiko's face can hardily be seen, but her arms aren't hidden from view.

"You have to drink this, okay?" She tries to easily shake his shoulders. No response is comes forth.

"Oh, I knew he was going to be difficult. He didn't even stir the slightest bit when I rinsed the blood out of his hair. Mind you I didn't use cold water, but still. That darn Krad! If only I could get a hold of him somehow!" Her hand thumps the table with a hint of force. Plates clank in response. _Does this mean he didn't get a full bath? That's good news for him._

"Papa?"

"Yes, Emiko?" Another page is turned.

"Could you fetch me the smelling salts please?" The old one sighs, then gets up. A few moments later he's back handing her some sort of small green glass bottle. Something instinctive kicks in with me and I know that those salts are unpleasant. How do I know this? And why am I suddenly cringing from it?

She opens the bottle with a flex of her thumb. Immediately, I hold my breath.

"Kyuu." With shudders for a second.

"You as well, huh?" My voice has that nasally sound. I don't want to chance breathing right now. Even with all of this going on, Hiwatari is obliviously asleep. _He's in for a rude awakening! He in not going to be happy! _The bottle starts dipping towards him. _Oh, this will not be good!_ She makes a quick pass by his nose. The reaction is instant. He shakes his head and snorts softly, then rolls towards Emiko's chest. _Wow! He's a heavy sleeper. That, or he's really out of it._

"Wow! Unbelievable. This little guy is gone. Papa," her chin moves in the direction of gramps, "the salts barely stirred a reaction."

"Hmm?" he sounds surprised. "Those are the same type of salts we used on Daisuke, right?"

"Yes." She looks back down at the stubborn Hikari.

"Wow. I know back in the early years of training, when breaking out of windows was new to Daisuke, that worked well enough. Even after ramming himself into tempered glass all it took was one whiff of that stuff to bring him around." I look over at him. So that's where I've tried it before... Yeah, I remember that now! _Yuck! That was a bad smell! _I smile and it catches the old timer's eye. He returns it knowingly. My memory is returning! _Yes! Back in business!_

"Kyuu!" My pants get tugged again.

"Okay, I'm back, With," I resume watching from under the table. It's kind of fun and it feels familiar to me, or at least something like it does. _Do I normally watch people? Or is it the hiding and waiting part that's making me feel nostalgic? Hmm..._

"Okay, we try again." I watch aptly as the bottle is tipped towards his nose again. She has to shift a bit to angle it properly. The pass is made, but this time there's no reaction from him.

"Well, this is new." A frown is evident on her face. "Any ideas, Papa?"

"Hmm.." He begins thinking. _Well, now what?_ I slump back up in my chair. A yawn escapes soon after. Then something tickles my face and I stop the leisurely motion to open my eyes, finding something thin and purple in front of my vision. _What's this?_ Reaching up, I grab onto it and tug at it.

"Ouch... Huh?" _Is this connected? _I hear a sharp intake of breath from in front of me.

"Dark?" Emiko asks. I blink and look over at her with worry.

"I'm still me, right? Is this part of getting my memories back? If so, I don't understand." I quickly turn in my chair to face gramps.

"It's just a bit of his hair that has changed, Emiko. It merely means things are going in the right direction for us." His eyes stray from hers to mine. "Just remember what I said. We can discuss this later after your mother gets through."

_My mother? _Steering back to Emiko, she confirms this with a nod.

"Why didn't you tell me earlier?" I question.

"Cause I didn't want to rack your brain farther." She glances back to Hiwatari. "I wanted you to remember on your own." Now I feel very bad. _How could one truly forget their own mother like that? _

"It's okay, Daisuke." She chuckles lightly. "Now you can't call me Emiko anymore." Now I have a burning question. Should I ask it? … Nah, I'll wait. I want to remember if Kosuke is my dad or not on my own. It shouldn't be so hard with things slowly coming back to me.

"Alright, one more try," she says as she dips the bottle once more. _Poor Hiwatari. He may as well wake up because she won't truly stop until she wins._ _… Hey! That's another bit of info! Yes!_

Smiling, I watch as the bottle comes away from his nose again. This time the reaction is strong. Blue eyes fly open and he gasps while bowing heavily upwards. The only thing keeping him steady would be the blanket and one arm from my mom. A hysterical laugh bubbles up and I choke trying to hide it. _He's definitely awake!_

"Whoa! Finally awake!" Emiko beams at him. He just relaxes and goes limp. His eyes close till they're only halfway open. He looks like he's in a daze. _Low blood Pressure._

"E- … Mom." She looks up at me as I lift back up from underneath the table. "He has low blood pressure so he doesn't really know what's going on at the moment."

"Oh. Well that may make it easier for me to feed him." I look at her in horror. She smiles at me, reminding me a little of a girl with a baby doll. Hiwatari gets back our attention by wiggling slightly in his confining blanket. It's wrapped so he can't move well. _Guess that may have been the point. _After finding that he can't move properly, his clearly dazed mind seems confused. He moans softly in his distress.

Even though I know if given a moment he'll be able to respond correctly to the situation, it doesn't stop the fact that protective instincts are triggered as soon as he issues that moan. I want to help him. Without much thought, I'm out of my chair and beside the two.

"Sit down, Daisuke. I've got it," she tells me without looking up.

"But, he wants the blanket off." Maybe he's hurting? I hope not.

"I'm not removing the blanket. He'd be cold without it."

"Then, is he in pain?"

"Maybe a little. After all, he's been through an awful lot today. But, I think it's just because he's not use to being restricted so much in his movements." She smiles again when he moves. "I'm just glad he's alive." She looks at me then. "You know it's because of you, right?"

"Me? I didn't try to focus too much on earlier, but I do know something strange happened up there." But what exactly did I do? She looks down again.

"Whatever took place, it's the cause of your memory being shot. I'm not sure how a miracle like this was possible, but you saved him. And, I'm sure you'll be alright here shortly, too." I watch her, stunned for a few minutes. That's when I see a tear roll down her cheek.

"My son is a true hero." She looks at me with calm watery eyes. So many swirls of emotions are alive within. I feel my own heart stir in response. "That makes me a very proud mother." I clasp a hand to her shoulder and I don't know why, but it feels right when I lean my forehead to hers. This feels all the world like the most natural thing between us. It's like something we always do to show supportive comfort to one another.

"Alright, enough of these tears." She pulls away and wipes her eyes. "We've got a job to do. Hand me the cup, and could you get me a straw please?" I smile wide.

"Of course!" Turning back towards the kitchen sink, With jumps on my shoulder and I catch grandpa smiling at me. I barely register that I've realized another fact. _He's my grandpa. Things are going to be okay._

**-****)*(****-**


	10. Chapter 10

**-****)*(****-**

Dark/Daisuke POV 

After plucking the clear plastic straw from the drain I return to my mom's side. It's plain to see that Hiwatari is still out of the loop. He seems listless. My guess is he's not even aware of us right now. Having low blood pressure must be horrid. If I had it, I'd probably be dead by now. Dodging traps is a constant must even if you're still half asleep. _Hmm... _Musing silently to myself, I hand over the straw and return to my seat. Deciding to grab it rather than sit, I take it over to the left of my mom. This puts me at a good reaching distance in case an extra hand is needed.

"Mom?" I ask softly, not wanting to chance alarming Hiwatari should he become aware.

"Yes, Dai?" She begins stirring the drink with the straw. For some reason as I look at the fluid whirling I feel queasy. _I've tried that before somewhere... Maybe it'll come to me later. Not a pleasant taste to it, that much I'm sure of._

"Can you pull out your chair a little so I'll have a better angle for assisting?"

She takes another moment getting things positioned on the table, then she pushes backwards in her seat with Hiwatari braced in both arms.

"You know, you may feel lost and confused about yourself at the moment," she looks over at me, "but you're still my sweet Dai-chan." Her face shows a wide grin as mine blushes warmly before she turns her attention back to Hiwatari.

"Now, if you want to help," she repositions the bundle, "then somehow try to get him to drink before he catches on to what we're doing," she finishes with a hint of amusement.

"Alright." I reach and grab the cup with the straw. Staring down at Hiwatari, I wonder what I can do. I'm scared that he'll be very angry at me for this. Though, I'm only trying to help him. _Okay, he's still zoned out. If I can just part his lips easily, then put the straw through, maybe he'll automatically start drinking it. Long shot, but it's the best I've got for the most part._

I easy my free hand towards his face only to jump before I touch him. His eyes had focused for an instant and he'd followed my movements. I frown. _Not good. If there's some awareness already then shouldn't he be protesting? Maybe something else is wrong with him._

I look up to my mom. She just tilts her head, gesturing for me to proceed. _Well, if she isn't worried. _Again, I reach out with a free hand, but before reaching his lips I put my palm to his forehead. Just making sure that he doesn't have a fever. That would indicate something _is_ wrong... He doesn't have a fever at all. Instead, he feels way too cold. Softly, he sighs. I pause for a moment, watching before resuming my original agenda.

Nervous as ever, I try to stop shaking long enough to easily part his lips. They really are parched. Inserting the straw gently between, I pause again to wait for his reaction. My mom and I both wait silently. … Nothing. He's not drinking it at all. With eyes barely open, his gaze turns towards me, unfocused. I wiggle the straw just a little seeing if that will do, hoping to get his attention focused just enough to sip on it a bit. He just blinks softly and sticks the tip of his tongue against the straw to force it out.

Back to square one. _How am I going to do this? _My purple bang falls into sight again as I slouch dejectedly and take my arm back.

"Daisuke, want me to try?" Mom looks over at me. I shake me head.

"No. Let me try it once more, please." I'm afraid that she might decide this isn't working and bring out something bad, like a tube to force down his throat.

"Okay," she sighs disappointedly. From my side grandpa chuckles again. I've yet to hear another page be turned. Maybe he's amused by this?

_Think, Daisuke. How can you get him to drink?_ … Taking my unsteady hand, I motion his lips apart for a second time. This time, however, he pulls away from me. Emotion is starting to cross his face. _Better hurry. I'm not sure where I know this from, but if he wakes up fully I'll never be able too help him properly. _

For a third time his lips are parted as his face is carefully watched. Moving the cup to the table with my other hand, I use my finger to plug the straws tip. Keeping the liquid inside the small tube, I place it to his mouth. Releasing the straw's tip brings the small amount of fluid into him. At the same time, I take my free hand and soothe his throat into a swallowing motion.

Making eye contact with him to gauge his reaction shows nothing, but after a second I smile as his head tips back a little and he swallows.

"Finally," my mom breathes. "We may yet get this to work." She grins, then says happily, "A Niwa never gives up, right, Dai?" Nodding while still watching Hiwatari, I begin the process with the straw over again. And over again, until about the fourth time when Hiwatari makes a noise. Looking back into his eyes, anyone can see he's not happy... Confused and not happy. Slowly, he opens his mouth and closes it. Then, with hardly any force, he shudders with a frown. Then, I frown.

"Mom." ...

"Yes?"

"What does this taste like, anyway?" Glancing her direction and trying to keep a straight face at the same time shows she debating something.

"Well" she drags out. "That's a tough question. Taste is up to the individual after all." I close my eyes.

"It's horrible, isn't it?" I say. She as well as admitted it in her own way of speaking.

"For the most part, yes. But, it's very easy on the stomach and great for re-hydration. It's a great Niwa secret that was developed by one of our own generations ago. Oh, don't give me that pout. Satoshi will survive. It doesn't have that much of a taste actually. Being mostly made up of water it's kind of deluded. But, it is somewhat bitter and has that metallic iron taste in it."

Now it's my turn to shudder. _It sounds as if it would taste like plasma. _Before opening my eyes, which had closed on account of the shudder, she speaks again.

"Daisuke, you may want to either continue, or move." Jumping out of my musing long enough to concentrate, I see my mom looking rather amused. Tilting my head in question, she continues.

"He's coming round. I'm thinking you might want to go ahead and move and let me deal with him." Taking the hint, I move to return the chair to its proper place. No sooner do I adjust the chair, a series of small growls starts issuing from around the table. _Something has Hiwatari mad. Oh boy, not good! Mom and him might get into a rough spat here in a minute. _

"Shush, Satoshi. You're okay, I have you," she says very softly and tenderly. Either he doesn't hear, or he doesn't understand. He keeps on growling, which steadily rises in volume and quickly alternates between frustrated, almost panicky noises. _Why is __he acting like this?_

"Kyuu kyuu!" With pokes his head out from behind the table's leg. Huge ears are perked straight out on both sides, reminding me of wings for some odd reason.

"Do you know what's going on, With?" I ask, kneeling down next to him. I'm almost back to my previous position of earlier under here. That's when I notice the cloth hanging over the table's top for the first time. It's effectively covering the clear glass above. _Shows how focused I was earlier. All I'd noticed was the food. _

"Kyuu." With just fluffs his fur out and does a 180 degree turn to watch the action unfold. _Perhaps he only wanted me down here with him?_ The growling from Hiwatari begins to lessen, but he starts to struggle weakly against the blanket and my mom.

"Satoshi! Calm down! We're not... going to... hurt... you!" she grunts out between his efforts. But, watching him it doesn't seem like he's afraid to me. It's more like he's fighting. The more I watch the look on his face, the more I'm sure of it. That's when a name comes to mind... _Krad! _

"Mom! Put him down!" Her attention hardly shifts to me.

"Why should I?" She stubbornly tries to hold on to the squirming bundle. It's as though he's trying to free his right arm desperately.

"Tch! Cause I believe Krad's about to come out for a second time today," I try to say calmly, but it comes out more like a feral growl.

All she does is stare under the table at me with a face that says, "You're way off," before resuming where she left off with Hiwatari. _Well? Shoot! Now what am I suppose to do?_

"If Krad were coming out his magic could easily be felt, Daisuke. So don't worry just yet," Grandpa claims after turning another thin page of the news. _Everyone's so calm! Fine, let them see that terror again if they want to! I'll be ready for him this time!_

Bracing myself for whatever lies ahead, I concentrate fully on the two in front of me. Blue hair begins to look even damper than it did. It sticks to him as he continues to squirm. If it were possible I'm sure he'd be thrashing by now. Worried, I ease under the table, heading towards them.

"Daisuke..." Mom says in a warning tone as I nearly come out from underneath the table close to her. Still crouching, I examine Hiwatari. The growls have nearly stopped, for which I'm grateful, and his movements are calming down rapidly; they're now only small jerks of his head from side to side. Only every now and then will his right arm jump in an effort to knock the blanket aside. _Krad really isn't going to show up? Certainly his presences isn't here. Guess the little guy is only making such a fuss over being confined in a blanket. _Afterbrushing stray strands of purple out of my face, I reach out.

Carefully, I ease a corner of the blanket free from its tucked in position. Hiwatari almost immediately jerks his right arm free. From there his hand goes to his face. A relieved sigh is barely audible as he makes to sit up straight. Mom doesn't stop him and soon he's clumsily hunched over in her lap. Transfixed, her and I stare as she loosely keeps her hold around him. _So, does this mean Hiwatari's claustrophobic? _For some reason that's hard to believe.

After a few more moments, he spreads his fingers open slowly and with one nearly focused eye, he peers around. _Does he even remember what happened? _I wonder. Understanding dawns fast on his face as the sleepiness recedes bit by bit. His eyes find mine and, locking on to them, he lets his arm fall limp by his side. Being knocked along with it, the top part of the once finely wrapped blanket pools neglected around his middle. I blink at the bruised circle that is revealed right in the middle of his chest. Lines that make no sense run through it and I wonder what caused them. A weary feeling runs through me at the sight, like a warning not to get too close to it.

"Dark? What are you doing?" His voice sounds rough, almost like he can't force air out quickly enough to form the words properly. He also has a bit of a wheeze.

I stand up abruptly, remembering that I'm still crouching. Unluckily, I forget about still being under the table.

"Ow!" My head crashes into the bottom of the table and Hiwatari stares as I fall down on my butt. I'm surprised that the glass doesn't break. Maybe it's made of that tempered stuff...

"Dai, are you alright?" Hiwatari emits a bewildered noise as my mom speaks. Guess he didn't notice her, or where he was sitting.

Watching on with watering eyes, he rotates to the left towards her. She just smiles and wraps him in a motherly hug.

"Welcome back to the world of the living, Satoshi!" she cries happily. He grunts from the sudden pressure and she eases up on him a little. Using this as an opportunity, he maneuvers into a smooth slide out of her lap. Unluckily for him, the blanket keeps him from going much further than that. Instead of getting away like he'd no doubt intended, he ends up stumbling at the first contact with the floor and after a few uneasy attempts at correcting himself, he finally lands right next to me on his stomach, looking somewhat grouchy.

"Are you okay, Hiwatari?" I ask. _He really should eat more, I think. He landed full force and I barely heard the smack against him and the floor. _

"So, you really are Daisuke. What's the matter with you?" He sounds pained. Well, he did just take a fall after all. Combine that with his other injures... yeah... he's hurting.

"What do you mea-" I freeze as I hear a rolling sound coming from the table's surface above us. _Oh no... _It sounds like a glass must have tipped over up there.And it's moving towards our edge of the table. I look up at mom, then the table; which I can't see through because of the table's cloth; trying to have her tell me what it is. She gets the hint, checks, then smirks.

"It's the smelling salts, sweetie," she says in a upbeat tone with her eyes sparkling mischievously.

"Let's see if you can grab it as it falls. But remember it's still open so you'll have to be careful which side you catch upright." I grit my teeth in frustration and glance down at Hiwatari. He glances from my mother to me, then to the table, following the trail of the sound with his eyes.

_Tch! _Not bothering with mom's game I reach up top the table, trying to grab the elusive bottle. I end up hitting it once, knocking it towards a different direction. _Darn it!_ Pressing myself against the table to allow for more reaching room, I blindly try to find the bottle. It's not hard with the noise it's making, but grabbing it's a different story.

About a few seconds later, my searching after it pays off and I firmly grasp it. I blow out a relieved breath. I really didn't want to smell that stuff if it crashed to the floor. Suddenly my hand gets grabbed. I snap my eyes up, finding my mom clenching it. Leaning from her chair, she tells me, "That wasn't in the rules."

Looking at her in disbelief, she yanks my hand roughly to the front and cracks my hand hard. I grit my teeth again as my fingers go numb and the bottle seems to drop in slow motion. (The kind of slow-mo that happens when you're watching something about to happen and your reflexes should have been enough to save it, but not quite. Sadly.)

Horrified, I use my left hand and attempt to catch it. But with her still grasping my right, it is too awkward for me and all I manage to do is shift it more towards Hiwatari. As it is falling I glance down at him. He looks annoyed, but calm enough. His gaze follows it coming at him and he frowns. _He's not going to move in time. The bottle's either going to hit him, or smash right in front of him! _

Hearing a small intake of breath, I watch as he pulls a hand over his mouth and nose. An instant later, the bottle smashes about five inches beside him. I breathe out another sigh of relief, then stop as I remember to hold my breath also. _Great... time to move fast!_ A second after moving and Hiwatari is trying to move also. He's too weak to go far and only manages to roll onto his back. Quickly, I reach a hand to pull him up by an arm. Somewhere along the way he loses his breath and breathes. It's not a pretty picture... His face screws up and his eyes start watering, then his nose starts running. Twisting his face in agony, he starts going pale, dark circles start forming under his eyes and his nose turns a little red. Quickly, he looks away from me trying to hide it all.

And, how does stupid me take this? I bust out laughing from pure astonishment is what. Well, guess you know what happens. It's my turn with the smelling salts. And, WHOA! Do I get a _whiff_! Immediately I choke, going into spasms of coughing. Standing up fast to get away from the breathtaking scent doesn't help. Instead, I'm made dizzy from the quick motion along with lack of needed and much wanted fresh air. Seeing spots, my feet carry me backward and for some reason dumps me again on my behind. Hiwatari, with all his grace, can still manage expressions in his current condition. He looks at me with confusion before finally having the strength to roll out of salt smelling range and stands up, unwrapping the blanket from around him.

Right before my mom busts out laughing at us he pulls up to me and says, "You're not Daisuke." His eyes bore into my own. _Now I'm highly confused._

**-****)*(****-**


	11. Chapter 11

**-****)*(****-**

A few minutes prior 

Satoshi's POV 

Confusion...

That's all I have as I sit here waiting for my strength to return, at least enough for me to move away from the horrible salts. I can feel my face screwing up over the breathtaking scent. Sitting in a daze doesn't last all that long, though, and questions begin piling inside my head.

_Is that Dark, or Daisuke? Why was his mother holding me? Are they actually glad I'm alive? How am I still alive? Why did Mother bring me back? How was I able to come back exactly? … _Flabbergasted is an appropriate word to use, but for some reason I always thought it sounded somewhat uncouth. It's the ways it's pronounced I guess.

His laugher starts impacting on my brain after he has pulled away and falls. No doubt now, it has to be Dark's way of mocking me. Daisuke would never laugh like this. The knowledge makes me wonder how I could have gotten them so easily confused in the first place. I always can tell whose is in control with a simple glance, so why the confusion now?

Getting up and managing to ignore the cramps knotting my limbs, I make my way over to him. _That's not Daisuke, but … it doesn't seem to be entirely Dark either. _Plainly, with the vision given to me by the Hikari bloodline I can see his aura leaking out of him in chaos. _Something is wrong. Horribly wrong._ Pulling up to him face to face gives a greater sense of impact, letting him know I'm not playing here.

"You're not Daisuke," I state. A simple fact that he doesn't seem to understand. Eyes stare back at me, disturbing in their darker crimson and lining purple. _So, that's it. This is neither fully Daisuke, nor fully Dark. A true merging then? No... It's not settled, yet. This is extremely dangerous for Niwa. Dark and Krad's past isn't exactly easy to handle for a sane mind. _

Emiko's laughter breaks in, forestalling anymore thoughts.

"Oh, Daisuke! That should have been easy for you!" she admonishes while laughing.

"I see we're going to have to redo some of your more basic training." With glee in her eyes she proceeds to standing and clearing the table. Faint clinking from the sink is heard before he retorts back to her.

"Well, excuse me! I don't even know what you were playing at! That hurt my hand, you know?" He makes to stand and I move away, not wanting to be near him anymore. He turns to face me, bringing his pouting face into view. _Strange... There really is no way to tell which one he's more like right now. _Reaching in habit to push my glasses up reveals that at some point I've lost them. _Great. In the room, maybe? They're probably demolished, then._

"Forgive me, but I do not fully understand what is going on here. If I can be excused I'd like to find my glasses and return home," I speak towards Emiko, but, I head out before anyone makes to reply. Walking past the old man and out the kitchen door I curse at my weakened body. It continually wants to sway. Though my body isn't the only thing I'm cursing. Those smelling salts haven't settled well with me. It feels as though my nose is likely to start pouring blood. And, I feel a tad impaired, if you know what I mean. _Darn those Niwas!_

Making it to the stairs comes as a huge relief. Never have I been this sore after transforming into Krad. My back suddenly goes ridged from alarm. I've suddenly noticed he's not stirring at all in my mind, which is drastically out of the norm. He was furious at getting sealed earlier, as such, he should be fighting for control now. Maybe he's resting? Not likely. Stupid me for not noticing sooner. He could be up to something, but all is quiet on his end. For now...

Only once I've made the first stair up does the fact that I'm not wearing a shirt register. I decide to ignore this and the fact that Emiko was holding me earlier. _What was she doing with me, anyway? _Whatever it was, I remember struggling against what I now know was a blanket. In my sleep I had mistaken it for Krad attempting to smother my presence again. _Well, slightly embarrassing, but not unbearably so._

Halfway up the stairs leaves me panting and seeing spots. My sweaty hands grip the railing while the other holds my sore chest. _Pathetic. My chest isn't hurting that much anymore. Come on! I'm not this weak! _Pushing hard, I finally make my way near the top where my legs decide to wobble for a dangerous second before almost sending me falling backwards. Catching myself, I crawl the last two steps up, depositing into a sitting position against the wall and stay there.

_If it was that much trouble getting up here, then how- _

As I looked down the stairs contemplating how to get back down I see Niwa and freeze. He's bending down on the next to top step staring at me. _When did he get there? _I hadn't even sensed him! That makes me tense. I frown at him. He tilts his head at me in a curious manner.

"What do you want?" I ask a little harshly. He blinks, studying me.

"You're tired, so I was here to catch you if you fell," he replies seriously. Such a simple statement but something in me softens. Immediately I force the invisible wall back up.

"I don't need your help." Pushing myself away from him, we make the rest of the way to his room in silence.

The first noticeable thing is the mess. Bits of paper, glass and white feathers are strewn everywhere, covering the floor. We stand at the door for a minute assessing the damage. It's difficult to believe this was a livable room about an hour ago. The couch is missing all of it's cushions and is turned over, all the artwork items of Niwa's are gone, and the desk with the computer is missing. (I think that was an item among the junk I threw out over the balcony.) Then, there is also glass speared into random spots along the walls. It's unbelievable that we didn't end up with some serious injuries from that alone. However, the feathers are what catch my gaze the most. I frown down at the them. _Krad, you are such a fool. They try to help and this is what you do. _I'm surprised they didn't decide to kill us.

"Um... Hiwatari?" Daisuke speaks. I just ignore him and walk through the mess towards the open balcony. I'm bothered by the fact that my thoughts are straying towards my mother again. It's extremely hard letting go for a second time. She could have easily taken me with her and I wish she had. _It's not my time yet, though. _I lean against the balcony railing, watching as the ocean waves to and fro, noticing the crowd of people hanging around over there. _Guess none of them heard any commotion. _They're not stirred up, nor are they showing any concern our direction. And, there is no sign of the furniture out here, either. _Must be in the ocean then... oops._

"I don't think your glasses survived." Red and purple comes into sight when he makes it to the rail also.

"You're probably right," I answer quietly. From my peripheral vision I see him look out over the water. _It is beautiful; the sparkling blue._ The sun is just beginning to sink to the west although it still shines very brightly. The wind is enough that my damp hair is almost dry. Lazily, a seagull drifts towards its fellows by the cliffs. A bit of jealousy hits me. _I wish these wings of mine could take me to my family._

"Hiwatari, why don't you stay here for a while? My mom and I are really worried about you, so is my dad and even my grandpa. Please?" he speaks in a rush and I eye him from the sides of my vision. He can already see the answer set on my face. That is when he starts with a puppy face. He probably doesn't even realize he's doing it. It's an adorable face that means he's hoping. I can't help but to sigh.

"No," I say firmly. His face falls and he gazes back towards the ocean.

"But, you may not even make it back downstairs in your condition. You need to rest, Hiwatari. You also need people who can look after you and who care about you." I stiffen at this.

"I will make it back down on my own. And, if I can make it out the door you won't follow me this time." He goes quiet at this. Seeing as how he's given up for the time being my focus soon returns to the ocean. The waters always used to make me smile as a little kid, now I just think too much. Suddenly, Niwa smiles in thought. I watch him as he burst back through his room. In a loud voice he calls down to Emiko in the kitchen.

"Mom! Set the traps! Hiwatari said _if_ he can make it out the door!"

_What!_ In disbelief my feet angrily begin to march back inside, moving steadily for the conniving Niwa. His strange eyes look at me from the bedroom door and he smiles warmly, but with an edge of cockiness.

"You can thank me later," he says before running back downstairs. A second later there is a distinct thud against the wall.

"Ow! … Mom, not yet!" he wails, and I smile despite myself. _There is not much to be done now except bide my time, _I reason within myself, accepting the situation quite easily. Maybe too easily, but I reaffirm myself by figuring it won't take long to assess and bypass all the traps, anyway. _Well, if I'm staying for the time being, then I want a bath._ Before I go for the stairs something calls my name, stopping me. It sounded like it had came from outside. Making my way over to the balcony again, I wait for it to sound a second time. The crowd of people are still out there and they're excited about something. I take no interest in them. After a few minutes of nothing but the sounds from the kitchen below, I shake my head and turn away.

Stopping on the top step, a small dent in the plaster to my right is a reminder to remain cautious from here on. Going down a set of stairs has never been so dreaded.

**-.-**

I'm handed the essentials from Emiko as she tells me where the bathroom is. I thank her before walking down the hallway and passing the main room. So far there are no sign of any traps and I'm highly confident in my abilities at spotting any. Being a Hikari often means setting them up myself against Dark. Speaking of, I have to find a way to reverse what happened to him and Daisuke. I realize a merging that is not complete probably means a substantial loss in memory and/or normal brain functions. This is largely due to the human side breaking down simply from dealing with too much at once. It can't take so many years of information experiencing joy, anger, sadness, etc so quickly. Niwa is lucky in the fact that he hasn't suffered a nervous breakdown. But, I wonder what will happen once the memories begin returning. Will it be like a switch flickering on, or will they pound into his skull? Dark's genes definitely won't stay quiet for long and there is a good chance Daisuke won't be able to withstand it when it happens. I don't think I could handle a trip into Krad's past myself.

Talking from the living room makes me stop. The sounds are slight and not loud enough to make out, so I continue on.

"Wait, Hiwatari!" Daisuke runs up to me from out of the passing doorway, red spikes dancing into view as I'm grabbed by the arm. My expression remains neutral as I turn to face him. "Sorry!" He jerks his arm back, then puts it behind his head out of nervousness. "Also... sorry about earlier. I just wanted you to stay here." His line of sight drops to the clothes and brushes that his mother handed me. An instant later he blushes. _Now what has set that off? _

"It's alright, Niwa, I'm not angry. Are you okay?" I ask him. It looks like he has stopped breathing.

"I-I'm fine... Um... It's jus- ... Um... Gotta go!" He turns, sprinting off and I can hear him race upstairs. Perplexed, I glance to what I'm holding to try and see what he found so embarrassing. _Nothing but ordinary clothing along with a hairbrush, toothbrush and a towel. Maybe it was because of the new underwear on top? Strange... _I smirk and walk away.

**-.-**

Dark/Daisuke's POV 

_Why did my mom do that? And, I couldn't even tell him! _My heart is beating so fast! _Why did she hide that book in there? When he sees that thing! _It takes a moment for my panicked mind to realize something is going wrong with my body.

_What is...? _There is a terrible burning spreading through me. _This feels familiar. _It keeps building, getting worse and worse till everything goes numb with it. Suddenly feeling off balance, I fall sideways. My limbs start to tingle then. Little by little, my arms become longer and a bit more muscular. _What the! _My clothes steadily become tighter and more purple flows past my face. I lose my breath as a pain shoots through my back. _Stop! _Black feathers come out of nowhere to land amongst the white ones. I stare at them in horror. _No! ... I ... I c-can't be... like him! _I nearly go into tears from hysteria.

I shut my eyes. The word "monster" rings in my ears. Something clicks then. I stream of memories flood, unleashed. I gasp, unable to understand any of the images rushing back to me._ Where is the beginning? _The images flying past begin to blur, then blacken. Soon the darkness lifts to reveal the form of an old stone-made room. _I know this place, but where is this? When is this? _Vaguely, I feel my body roll onto its back, into a more natural position. Magic pulses freely like blood throughout it again. I'm highly confused. _Magic? Again? At least I've stopped growing. It's the weirdest feeling ever... _

I'm actually able to get up and move about the room. Looking about the dim place reveals a single solitary window. From the view it appears that I'm a little ways up. Outside the moon is whole, suspended in its full glory above a grassy plain. A lone tree waves eerily in the distance, nearly touching upon the cloudless night sky above it. I shiver, no longer feeling my carpet beneath me. _Since when does it get so cold in dreams? _This is too freaky too be anything else.

Chains rattle, pulling my attention to the left and directly opposite of the window. I gasp at the lean purple headed figure restrained there. A little ways from a heavy wooden door and suspended about a foot above the floor by thick shining chains is... me?I reach to my now fully purple hair, pulling a piece down to judge it better. (A stupid gesture of surprise, if you will.) I look back to the figure on the wall. It's hard to make out any facial features with it being so dark in here, but I can tell his eyes are closed. There is no moonlight reflecting in the blackened sockets.

Slowly, I make my way over to him, careful not to trip over any unseen items in the gathered pools of inky darkness. Luckily, there are none. My feet never make the slightest noise as I move to his side. Standing there to study the familiar face, I reach up for a touch. While doing so I see he's not hung by his arms like I'd originally thought, though the chains are securely bolted down around them, they're fully outstretched to either of his sides. There's no reaction when my fingers touch. I jerk my hand away by reflex at his skin's icy coldness. He's not dead; just really cold.

My heart nearly stops when some chains rattle nearby again. After jumping and going wide-eyed with nerves, I blow out a held breath upon seeing some more glittering up along side the wall. _Okay, how did they move? It couldn't have been this guy... er... um... me? could it? I don't even see regular shackles for restraining at their dangling ends._

They move a third time by themselves as I study them. This time instead of jumping, I'm made curious. Walking the few feet over to them, I grab the chains. They're cold like everything else is in the room. Carefully I run my other hand along the wall, trying to feel for whatever is causing them to move so strangely. I don't feel smooth wall, however, there _is_ something soft. I squint my eyes, trying to make it out. Whatever it is, it's too dark of a color to make out even the slightest hint of shape. Using both hands I pet it, trying to deduce what it could be. It bucks under my touches and fluffs out a bit. My eyes widen with sudden understanding as I feel long feathers. _Wings! Oh my… Wait, I have to be sure!_

Guiding my hands back across the wall, I feel the winged shape as it disappears behind one clothed shoulder._ Okay, my mind has officially shutdown now. _If I had been listening hard enough, I probably would have heard the footsteps coming earlier on from behind the wooden door. As it was, I only hear whoever it was once they get close. Too close for an easy escape. Cursing myself, I force my scared stiff limbs into a run, uncaring if I'm heard on the other side. There is a slight pause, then the steps resume at a run also.

I sprint for the only window, hating how small it is up close. Turning as I run to look back at my past self in wonder, the doors are hammered by something large and I nearly fall with fright from the echoing crash. It seems to take forever for me to make it the rest of the way to the window's ledge. I don't wait around for whoever it is to open the door. Grasping and pulling myself up, I reach with another hand for the outside edge of the window, wanting leverage to twist through the small opening from the outside wall. But, my hand stops and hits what could be glass. _Great, just what I need!_

A very muffled and deep voice starts coming from the door. I can hear locks clicking. Without hesitating, I fist a hand and throw a full punch at the window. My fist just bounces off, causing me to lose my grip on the ledge. I curse again as I land to the floor on my feet. More locks click open as my mind tries to bring reason to this equation.

_Glass should have shattered with that hit, but it didn't. _I begin pacing. _Why? And, come to think about it, I should have been able to tell if glass was there in the first place. I could've sworn that it was completely open. _As if to prove my point, a cool breeze comes blowing down on me, playing with my hair. I look back to the open window, seeing the first wisps of clouds moving across the moon's surface. _The wind carries the scent of blood soon to be spilled. … Where did that come from?_

I glance back towards the ominous door, still hearing the voice. Whomever is on the other side is someone I know. Someone that I don't want to meet right now. Someone that wants me dead. _How do I know this? And how many locks did they put on that door? Sheesh! _

More locks click open, then a low growl comes from my other self. _That doesn't sound good..._ He shifts about lightly, then raises his head up. Slowly he starts opening his eyes, showing pain in their slit depths. They shift over to the door when a shuffling noise is made. He growls another louder warning. It's an inhuman sound made to threaten whose ever out there not to come in. The outer noises falter, uttered with what could be some sort of curse, or maybe even a quick prayer. Steps being running away, seeking aid from fellow guardsmen.

My other's purple-eyed slits slide longingly to the window above me. He fails to notice me even with my hair and skin shining like pale reflectors under the moonlight._ Guess that means I can't be seen here. Wish I'd know that before I'd panicked earlier. _A sudden increase in lighting comes from behind me and I'm frightened again anyway. The whole room begins flooding with its intensity until the only darkness left in the room is my own shadow and my other's immense black wings. I look to them in horror of the mangled mess the captors have made. They're literally bolted to the wall!Tearing my eyes away from the sight, I spin to look at the moon behind me. It doesn't make sense, but it _is_ what's causing the dramatic increase in lighting. _What's going on?_

Shouts are suddenly heard from below, but I can't make any of them out. _Curse stone walls! But if I had to make a logical guess, I'd say they're freaking out about this too. _I turn back, facing my other. _Are you doing this? _I want to question, but can't find my voice. Not that it would probably do me any good. If he can't see me then he shouldn't be able to hear me.

It's hard to read the expression on his face right now. He looks a bit frightened, a bit in pain, but over all itching for a fight. Wings flap behind me, riding against the night air. I turn a second time for the window and see a white wing brush by and out of sight. _Not him! Not him! _I chant inside my head. The moon flares brighter after this and I shield my eyes before I'm blinded with it. That growl comes reverberating off the walls from my other self once more. We face each other across the room, one set of purple eyes slitted and feral, the other's wide and frightened.

Black wings flap uselessly against the stones and chains while he begins to thrash heavily. My hair stands up as his voice- hardly more than wild choking sounds- rings out a chant over the stones. The language is foreign to my ears, and as I begin to wonder what he's saying, the moonlight becomes dimmer and more tolerable. Scared now to the point of jumping out of my skin, I turn for a glimpse out the window. The moon is being swallowed by the night.

"I want to wake up now!" I close my eyes and bring an arm with my head to the cold stone wall, hoping to wake up on my carpet where I left myself. I jump when I realize all noise has suddenly ceased. Quickly I pop open my eyes to a very disorienting scene- it's all totally pitch black! _Oh, sh- _

Upon frantically trying to see, I notice two purple orbs with dark slits glowing over by the far wall, and they're staring with hatred to the window right above me. I gulp- _Is he right behind me?- _and glance up to see two very close golden orbs also complete with dark slits glowing. My poor heart nearly stops again. Though, my legs do give out and I fall on my butt. Now this is a very scary experience to be in. My only saving grace lied in thinking that I couldn't be seen. Imagine what happens when those two golden orbs suddenly turns to look down at me. … Yeah, I whine like a helpless ninny.

The wooden door suddenly hammers from another hit, and I find myself propelling from shear terror towards where the purple eyes glow. I have time to shout a few choice words for the people who can't stop running _before_ they plow into a door, then a sense of weightlessness hits. Some invisible force captures me. There is nothing I can do until it throws me. Everything tunnels strangely as I hit a wall and register a drastic increase in purple all around. Everything starts feeling alien then and my whole sense on happening events cloud up, almost like when you're dreaming and are about to awaken. The impact didn't even hurt, I realize dimly. My brain starts fogging more as chains rattle around. It all sounds extremely close. _I need to move, something important is happening. _But, it's like shaking off an impossible shroud. I crack my eyes back open to find nothing but pitch darkness, making me disoriented and confused. I can't be sure if I'm awake, or asleep.

That is until I spot the two golden orbs staring at me from the far side of the room. It doesn't look as though he's come through the window just yet. _Now I remember! _How could I have forgotten what he'd done to me just the night before? How could I have forgotten that I was locked in this tower to await my death by that Hikari? I throw myself in fury against the silver chains they'd used to hold me, knowing it'd do no good. Indeed, I grimace as my wings tear. The door finally bursts open after the fat clumsy guard unlatches the last lock. I snicker to myself. _All those locks do you no real good. Has no one come yet to this conclusion? _The fire from his torch enters the dank room and the darkness lifts. I hate to see it gone, but I don't want to waste any more magic on restoring it.

The light he brings with him creeps over me as he lifts it over himself, washing away most of my shadows. He sweats at the fierce look I regard him with, knowing I'd gladly tear him to shreds if only I could get loose. Hesitantly he walks over to me, checking that my chains are still secure. The fat whiskered face laughs when he sees what my earlier thrashes did to my wings and I lunge for him. Needless to say I don't get close enough to do him any harm, but he gets the point and promptly steps back. Catching his fear, he laughs mockingly out loud again.

"Those rusted bolts are going to leave your wings to rot you deserving devil!" he says with glee. At that moment, another skinnier guard comes from behind the door to enter the room. I hate this one. He's the one who enjoys torturing and whose idea it was to first hang me by rusted pieces of metal. I calm myself in knowing that it is the one part of their plan that is a fail. It is not made of silver, so it won't hold me forever. And Krad- knowing this- has failed to tell them, or rather the Hikari inside him has. They're probably wanting to fight another round before killing me off. _As if I'd let them! _I look from the horse-faced skinny guard to the gold eyes staring at me from afar. How long, I wonder, will it take them to notice him? They haven't yet been told that the master Hikari has been cursed after all and I'd like to see their reactions.

"Hey you!" A spear comes into view, pointed at my throat, while huge dilated brown eyes stare into my own from Horse Face. _He reeks of ale. _I turn my head away in disgust, never fearing that he'll kill me. That is for the boss himself to do. He is not so far drunk yet as to have forgotten that fact. I know the Hikari personally would behead the man for taking my life now and he surely knows it as well. The fat man laughs and crosses his arms.

"I don't think he likes you very much, Stan," he says. Horse Face smiles while attempting to sound hurt.

"Awe, what can we do to remedy that? Let's see." He walks over to my left wing, taking the other's torch in trade of the spear. I brace myself, knowing what he is about to do. Taking the tip of my wing, he puts it over the heat of the fire. I refuse to scream, instead I roar as loudly as I can. I jerk the feeble limb, trying with its remaining strength to pull it from his grasp. Oh, how he loves this part, I know it. I can see it in the way his face broadens with every slight yank. Eventually, even my feathers will burn and soon my lungs are full of the burning, acidity smell of them. I gasp once as the fire licks hotter and he finally pulls the flame away. My burnt wing shakes terribly and my will isn't strong enough to still it.

He laughs a high-pitched note. _Just because they think I'm a devil it means they can enjoy inflicting suffering. I don't understand their logic, or their hearts. _He turns away with a grin of triumph on his face to his partner, holding the torch as if it were his trophy.

"I love it when it shakes like that!" he trumpets. The fat one just shakes his head at the horse one.

"You're crazy about the wings." With his job and amusement over he walks back for the door, stopping when he finally sees the narrowed, disapproving gold from afar.

"I-it is the other one!" he yells, bolting for the door. _Coward! _I yell the thought after him like a vengeful arrow.

The horse-faced one jumps out of fright, landing close beside the wing he had just damaged. Seeing an open opportunity, I slap his arm holding the torch with it. It is just enough force to bring the fire spilling over his face. Agonized cries fill the tower loudly, making me almost sorry for my ears. His partner doesn't even come back for him. Running blind, the man shoots out the door, crashing down each and every step of the winding stairs. Krad and I pause for the moment, listening and enjoying the sounds of it.

"I have come here for you, Mousy," he states after the brief moment passes. Gold eyes flash within the renewed darkness as he easily maneuvers into the room. White wings arch as he gently clacks to the floor.

"Wanting another fight are we, Krad?" My voice sounds strained even to my own ears, but it cannot be helped, I have gone all day without water. I am dehydrated after our exerting battle of the night previous; having been spared no water during the long, warm day.

Frowning orbs stare back at me. I hear his long white attire swish as he comes forward, closing the gap between us in long, easy strides. I pull at my wings, attempting to close them to see if the metal holding them has given even a bit more. I bite my lip hard enough to taste blood, effectively keeping from making any noises of distress. It would not do the have Krad knowing what I am up to. But, the chains do clink a little. He doesn't pay it much attention as he stops in front of me.

"None of this has to happen to you, Mousy." His voice sounds low and somewhat sad. Gold eyes are cast downwards as he continues.

"Why? Why must you steal from the Hikari?"

"You know why, Krad. Those works are full of curses, ready to inflict mortal damage on any unsuspecting person. I have to seal them! The Hikari are in the wrong here, not me!" His gloved hand suddenly grasps my face in the darkness. I jerk reflexively away, but his hold is firm and stays. Our eyes meet again.

"They are the same as you and I! Or did you forget how we were born?" An angry glint flashes in his eyes as they bore into my own. Not affected by this, I retort.

"How could I have? It is because we are now part human that we have any souls." His hand leaves my face an instant before he smacks me with it. Fury is etched within his glowing orbs, mirroring my own. His hand quietly reaches out to pet a wing, sliding along it until it comes to the rod pierced near the joint. Without a warning, he pulls the rod with a mighty heave. The world turns as my head jolts backward and the metal slides out with a sickening sucking noise. Blood begins pouring freely and I am struck frozen by the pain of it, unable to even breathe, let alone cry out. Observing this, he puts a hand on my chest and pushes down. The simple motion reminds my body of how to breathe properly and when he lifts up I take a shuddery gasp.

Now my other wing, the burnt one, is holding the brunt of my weight. I close my eyes as my head rolls limply to my shoulder. Too weary am I to even hold it up. Spots dance under my eyelids and I fight to stay focused. _Free the other one Krad, then you will pay. Focus... Focus... _I feel his hand glide down my other wing to stop on the rod stuck there. Desperately I want the promised freedom, but at the same time I am dreading this part.

He yanks it free and this time I do cry out. Spurts of blood fall on him as the gaping wound pours in spasms. A heavy silence befalls the surrounding stones as I catch my breath. Wasting little time, both damaged wings push hard against the wall behind me while I draw my feet up to kick off of it. This pulls the chains around my arms far enough from the wall for me to wiggle through. Unfortunately, the chains are wrapped rather well. In order to get out, it calls for me to bend at a very odd angle. I suck in an unsteady breath as the realization hits me of what I am going to have to do. Freedom is definitely worth it. Not letting myself think about how much this will hurt, I throw first one shoulder, then the other into the presented wall in fast order.

With adrenaline pumping as heavily as it is, my force is easily enough to dislocate them. I bite back the bitter taste that forms in my mouth as I jolt hard from the multiple impacts. Krad stares transfixed by the sight, not having thought me capable of doing such a thing. With a shadow of a smirk on my face, I wiggle one last time and the reluctant chains finally release me. I fall in a tangled, painful heap to the hard stones below. Also falling into a darkness so absolute, that I can no longer see the gold eyes looking down at me.

A brief pause of silence, then he walks over to me. He kneels beside me and I can feel his eyes watching me. It makes me sick waiting for him to do whatever it is he is going to do, but I have literally fallen and can't get up. Though it is more like "can't move". Ugh, I am so nauseated. Ever since last night my stomach has been in knots. Finally, his hand touches my arm and I jump.

"So you are awake. Dear Mousy, look at what you have done to yourself," he chides me. Eyes still closed, I flash some fang his way in response. He might not be able to see the gesture, but he' will know I have done it nonetheless. We have this connection between us, even though I hate him.

Siding with those murderous Hikari and making me out to be the bad guy. I'll get him if it's the last thing I do!

My senses begin fading to almost nothing and my body slows down, becoming too cold, even for me. Nearly out of it, I barely feel it when I'm picked up by warmth. A fire throbs down my top four limbs, but it is too distant now for me to pay any attention to it. Nay, I am too tired to care at this point.

_** 'Don't you die yet, Dark Mousy.'**_

_** 'I won't, Krad.'**_

**-.-**

Satoshi's POV 

After setting my items on the counter I carefully comb out every inch of the bathroom. Emiko is a sly one and I wouldn't doubt her having rigged a place such as this for getting some information, as bad as that might be. When it's proved nothing is here, I get up to turn the water on for the tub, then go back under the sink for the Epsom salt I'd seen. Turns out there is quite a few bruises to go along with the cramping in my muscles. On the plus side the cuts from the thorns at school are nothing major at all now. In fact, they're nearly healed. I blame that on Krad. Ever since he's shown up I've had a faster healing rate than normal.

Having poured the minimum into the pooling warm water, the salt is returned to its place, then I turn for my borrowed items and begin sorting. It doesn't take me long to find the hidden book there. Catching me by surprise, I hesitate and it slides before I grasp it. It lands with a swish, cover facing up to the tiled floor below. Now what could the Niwas be up to in giving me a book? Maybe it's important? _Has to be for them to give it to me, right? _Perplexed, I pluck the light green book off the tiles, noticing while doing so that it looks to be a folder rather than a book.

_Hmm. _Turning around to stop the running water first, I sit on the edge of the tub. Carefully, like it may bite, I turn the cover open. A recent photograph of Niwa by a body of water falls out. I bend to retrieve it. Studying it, he looks happy and innocent like always, but there is a certain lacking to it. I bet it was before Dark awoke. _Okay, this could have been accidentally left in here. _After putting the photo down, I give the folder another try and turn the next page. On this one, there is what looks to be a girl cut out from a magazine. She's near my age modeling some new line of fashion. She looks pretty with her dark hair flipped back in a strange way, but that's as far as I get, not wanting to bother with the details. _Okay, what are they up to? … Surely it's not what I'm suspecting. … I wonder if the next page will confirm it._

I turn the next page and abruptly shut it. It revealed something that I did not want to see. _So I was right. But, why would they do this? Curiosity? At least this explains why Niwa blushed so bright. He must have spotted this and known what it was. _

As I stand up to place the offensive "folder" down a quiet chuckle comes from the opposite side of the bathroom door. Not bothering to be polite at this point, I unlock and pull it open to reveal Emiko. She comes spilling in and lands on the floor. She quickly looks up to me from her position and makes to get up, however before she does she goes into a fit of laughter. There must have been a strange expression on my face. I glance at the mirror beside me to see as she gets back to her feet and grabs the folder.

"No harm meant, Satoshi," she says and leaves, shutting the door behind her. I hardily pay her any mind as I study my reflection. A large bruise is in the middle of my chest from where she slapped Krad with the sealing circle. As I touch it, I can feel the charms powers still radiating out from the pattern. _Well, this explains why Krad has decided to retreat for now. _I mentally chuckle, my reflection showing a small smile. Even _if_ any of those pictures had triggered some sort of emotion, the seal would have kept Krad locked in and Emiko would have been none the wiser.

**-****)*(****-**


	12. Chapter 12

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Satoshi's POV 

I'm undoing the button on my school's uniform pants when I first notice how thirsty I am. _Why does inopportune things like this have to happen? _I don't want to go walking about anymore without a shirt. So, I decide to ignore the craving for now and just get on with my bath. 

I turn towards the mirror another time to look at the seal mark. It's great not having to worry about Krad for now. So long as the mark stays he can't get free. I run my fingers against the fading bruise, touching the charm's power.

The rate it's healing is troubling, but maybe it's for the best. If I become used to not having him around it'll make it that much harder on me when he's free again.

At least for a little while longer there is time for me to collect my wayward thoughts without worry. Seeing my mother and losing her for a second time was... unsettling.

I take a moment to move to the side of the tub. Sitting on it seems better than stripping, so I sit and think.

Thinking about her and her promise that she's watching over me makes me feel a little relieved inside. I'd always wondered if some piece of her was by chance still alive.

And, then there is Niwa. I want to help him so badly. Him and even Dark. Smiling, I remember the time of their first heist. I'm sure Niwa was in control when I first revealed my role as police commander. Then, Dark took over. I admit he startled me.

He really is different than I thought he'd be. He's not so much a curse. Only my being a Hikari is what sets us at odds most times. Kind of sad. I've always hated being a part of the accursed family. I look down and to my right at the water.

It looks inviting with its slight ripples breaking forth from the lightly dripping facet. If you could glance to the wall behind me you'd see the light there being broken by the reflecting water's surface. Kind of enchanting. I yawn widely.

I get up and stretch slowly. _Better wake up. _I'm not sure what the Niwas are up to, but I don't want to stick around for long. No matter what Dark had planned when he'd determined on his own to bring me here he's now in a bind and can't go through with it. Which is good. I can handle my condition on my own.

All that I need is to find that elusive book on my ancestors medical history. That will tell me what I need to know. … Perhaps I should ask my father. He does know a lot about the Hikari history. In fact, I'd be surprised if he didn't at least know where the book was hidden. Yes. Now, how to get him to give me a straight answer?

I go to pull off a sock and freeze, muttering a shocked word. Daisuke's and Dark's aura has changed dramatically. I scan the floor above me with my sight, trying to see. My breath hitches. All I see is a blackness seeping in from an upper corner. It is some sort of powerful, negative magic. How did I not sense this sooner? I glance to the bruise on my chest. _Could the charm have sealed some of my magic, too? _

It only takes me a second to fling the door open. While running the length of the hallway I don't bother questioning my suddenly renewed strength.

"Kyuu!"

The rabbit-like creature bounds beside me as I thunder up the stairs. Briefly my thoughts flicker towards the other Niwas. _Where could they be at a time like this? _If my running hasn't been enough to alert them, then I'd better just save my breath. I doubt I could call out very loudly for them.

Coming up the last few steps, my strength ends up faltering at the doorway to the room. I lean in with either arm holding me steady on the door's frame. The room is still as trashed as earlier and the window to the balcony still pulled up. Warm sun pours from outside, sending the white feathers on the floor into a glaze. A few black ones stir from a gentle breeze.

My eyes fall to Niwa- in Dark's form- lying on his back. My throat constricts, but I manage to call out his name.

"Niwa!" He doesn't respond in the slightest.

The long-eared white-fluff jumps over to him before I can pick my feet up.

"Kyuu, Kyuu!" It nudges Niwa on the cheek, making his head bob slightly. There is no acknowledgement towards the little creature, so the white-fluff jumps to his chest and begins patting his chin. Meanwhile, I've let go of the doorway and stepped inside. I nearly make my way over to them, then trip. I fall flat on my stomach, knocking the wind out of me and making my sore chest heave. I squint my eyes as they water, bringing a hand up when a bit of coughing starts. My lungs are somewhat delicate right now. Best to remember and be careful. (I really do detest weakness.)

Cautiously, I rise and make the rest of the few feet over.

"Niwa! ... Niwa!" I take his face into my palm. The skin is flushed and overly warm. Taking the same hand I move the front of his bangs from his forehead. Using the backside of it I feel out his temperature. _He's burning up! _The little creature hops down to the floor, rushing off in pursuit of the others. He turns back for a quick glance before rushing out the door, huge strawberry eyes watering.

I put a hand on his chest, wanting to shake him. Instead, I end up feeling his ecstatic heartbeats. _Not good! That's way too fast! _

"Niwa, you have to wake up!" The magic is doing this to him; pulling him into some far away place in Dark's past. I can literally feel the distance in him.

"Wake up! Before you lose yourself, wake up!"

The darkness recedes around him. His still form begins moving and eyelids flutter. I dare to hope he will be alright with the episode drawing to a close, but his eyes open into a foreign purple with slits at each of its centers.

"Damn!" I slam a fist into the carpet. Krad starts stirring. Jerking forward, my hand goes over my chest. _Please charm, hold a little longer! _He's wanting out badly. The golden eyes seem to hover just slightly out of my field of vision and his earlier anger begins buzzing from the outer reaches of my mind.

Dark sits up and immediately I can tell that this isn't the same version that I know. This Dark's demeanor is ridged and the impression of him is haunting. The aura coming off him is literally cold to me and still somewhat distant. I scoot away a few inches on my knees, feeling uncomfortable. Again, Krad stirs deep within. It's extremely faint, though. This situation is quickly becoming very delicate indeed.

Slits dilate as they come to focus on me. Sunlight throws the sharp angles of his face into harsh relief as we gaze at one another. _I definitely do not recognize him. No doubt he doesn't recognize me. Niwa, whatever happened to you, I hope you've stayed sane in there._

The strange purple eyes leave my face to look around. He takes in all the destruction, and a chill goes down my spine. He reaches nearby to a white feather, grinding his teeth together. I flinch when a growl fit for a beast comes forth. _He's been put on the alert now. Not good. If he realizes that I hold Krad…_

I stop thinking when his gaze comes back to my own. It's a judging look, and it's starting to express a growing dislike. His gaze rakes down to my chest, taking in the mark there. I shield it with my arms. Hopefully, if he doesn't realize it's a seal, I can still pass myself off as normal to him. The chance is slim, but that's why it's called hope.

_Yeah... Waking with wanton destruction and Krad's feathers surrounding him, then finding me hiding a strange mark from sight. Hope... Just a fantasy wish is more like it!_

Sure enough, he stands while eying me and smoothly makes his way over. I know to run would show guilt, so that and the fact that I probably can't run means that option is out. Instead, I breathe deeply and try to relax my ridged posture. Hopefully he won't find me a threat. He stands over me a short second later, reminding me of a predator on the hunt. Focusing down to my knees to keep from locking eyes with him, he decides to kneel next to me.

A warm hand grabs my face, and my heart begins to race. He pulls my face close to his. So close, that I can see my wide azure eyes reflecting back at me from within his purple ones. Krad stirs sluggishly behind the seal. _I shouldn't be here! If the seal breaks soon…_

I'm brought out of my thoughts by a soft hand pressing against my ribs. I jerk and an instant later I'm being pushed onto my back. My mouth opens in a quiet protest as I fall.

"Oof." I stare up at the overly confident grin hovering above me, keeping a retort barely at bay. There is no way to clearly tell what is going on inside his head. I shake a bit of blue hair away to clear my vision, being careful to remain unruffled. He keeps a hand pressed to me, careful not to touch the charm that is imprinted close by. The pressure is light, but it makes me shake some from sharp pains. Again, his gaze rakes down me. It's almost a plausible thing that can be felt as he looks all the way down to my legs, then back up. He studies the mark for a good bit before sweeping back downwards a second time. It makes me want to fidget, but I hold myself back.

_He knows I'm not normal, the mark tells him that much. _For he can tell it has magical properties if not what it's for. He's not attacking, so I'm thinking that means he can't sense Krad yet. But, my shape, so like Krad's only smaller, has caught his attention. Perhaps he's leaning towards the idea that I am Krad, but just can't understand how it can be possible. Maybe I'm too skinny. Well, that's what I'm getting from the way he's looking at me anyway. … Needless to say I'm not liking it.

Okay, he needs to realize that I'm not blond. On second thought, maybe he's realized I'm a Hikari. That would explain the heavy interest. _Bet you that's going to make this easy, _I think sarcastically. I need to end this quickly and get out of here. It would be great if the other Niwas would get here about now.

_Remain aloof. _That's what needs to be done. I look back to him, finding him whispering to himself in Romanian, I believe. I'm not very familiar with it, but I do recognize some of the words barely audible. He's confused. About what I do not know. Purple that is almost violet finds azure again. He takes back his hand from my chest, giving relief to the aching lung. I sigh as he watches me. After a minute, the scrutiny from him starts seeping into me, making an uncomfortable pressure start to build.

_Relax, you're too uptight, Satoshi! _Reluctantly, I close my eyes and block him out, letting my exhausted body release its tension. I bring my legs straight out to undo the odd angle in which they'd ended up in, while stretching my arms to a more comfortable position to either side of me. Then, I wait. Wanting him to either get bored and leave, or possibly strike up a small conversation. Maybe a good five minutes pass like this. All the while I wondering if the Niwas chose to watch instead of help.

The room is so quiet. A nice breeze steadily washes over me and my breathing eventually evens out. I catch myself once almost falling asleep. _I really am tired._ I turn my head and reposition myself a little, wanting to stay fully aware. Opening my eyes, I jerk, causing two very close slits to jump back to my face.

_Impossible! I never heard him move! _His head is a mere couple of inches from my chest. He'd have to have moved, or shuffled a bit to get so close, but I'd heard nothing! Not a brush against the carpet, nor the sound of rustling clothing. Nothing!

While I'm stunned, he lifts a finger to the mark of the charm, which is nearly transparent by now. _I've got to move! _He begins tracing it slowly, creating some sort of tingling throughout me. _Magic? _I shut my eyes, wanting to hide. I'm starting too feel uncomfortable from the touch. It's almost like a caress. He splays his palm over it and I twist away, trying to roll to my hands and knees. He moves quickly, catching me from my side and pulls me right back down. A small sound escapes me as my back hits the carpet. I hadn't exactly slammed back down, but it hadn't feel good, either.

_Don't panic, he's not hurting you. But, he might._ This behavior is leaning towards aggression. His hand rest on my chest, bringing the aching pressure back with it. I don't relax again, but I do stay still. He sees this and removes his hand after a short pause, only to take both and encircle my waist near my hips. _What's wrong with him? Is he measuring me? _His long fingers nearly touch. A perplexed expression comes across his features. He turns away, then looks back down to my eyes. I scowl back at him. He just smiles. _Was this all a test of some sort? _Unbelievable. I really don't have a clue as to what he's thinking.

His purple hair waves as he begins examining his own appearance. He isn't fascinated with the striped pajamas of Daisuke's. It's my turn to smirk. He does look a little strange in them. I stand up and he glances at me, taking in my clothes... or lack thereof. That's when I remember I'd undone the button to my red pants. Well, … I put my back to him, reaching down to pull the little button through the fabric. _I might better go and find the others. _It's more plausible to think something has held them up at this point. _Maybe they went to get rid of those reporters from earlier. _I shudder. What a disaster it would be to have Krad and Dark fight with them right outside. Speaking of, I should probably leave. There's no reason to risk it happening. Maybe if my brain had been working at full capacity I wouldn't have come up here in the first place.

I step to turn, stopping when I touch into something with my right arm. I gasp, startled and jump left. Coming to a full turn around, I spot Dark standing close by. He stands perfectly still, only his hands coming up in mock surrender. _That jerk! _He knew he'd take me by surprise sneaking up like that. That thief is why too quiet coming up on someone. A disapproving grumble rises from my throat before I can halt it. The corners of his mouth lift into a small smile. I straighten fully, dismissing him and begin to walk around him.

Making it to the door, I peer behind me once. It was a mistake. He was right behind me again, very much like some sort of smirking shadow. A jolt runs through me, making me jump to the railing of the stairs.

"Dark!"

**-****)*(****-**

**Next time, before I go on a vacation, I will make sure they have Internet... **


	13. Chapter 13

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Dark's POV 

"Dark!" Blue hair blurs from tremendous speed as Satoshi yells, jumping clear to the wooden railing.

He used that ability again and I'm fighting extremely hard not to laugh. ... Let me correct that: I'm fighting extremely hard not to let it show on my face that I'm laughing. That would give me away. For I don't yet think Satoshi has realized that I've come back to my senses. _Well, most of them. My speech pattern is still a tad old. _

Too bad. But it only proves that the poor kid is very drained if he hasn't caught on by now. With his magical sensory hitting an all time zero, it has left him quite jumpy to say the least. Or rather, it has made it too easy to sneak up on him. Gotta say I'm glad that little seal on his chest works as good as it does. It helped rein in my current power, letting me see clearly again. Being lost in myself was not a pleasant experience. I'd all but forgotten... okay, I'd forgotten most of the stuff that I've went through, and it was not fun reliving it!

Luckily, it seems like a horrible nightmare now. Daisuke will hopefully wake up soon. If we're fortunate, he won't have suffered too badly. (What I mean by that is: won't be in shock permanently.) That was some pretty bad stuff happening around in that era. Timid Daisuke was not meant for that time line.

It takes a few seconds for the sight in front of me to register. Moon pale skin is leaning heavily over the staircase railing and it's quickly disappearing from view, followed closely behind by a pair of red colored jeans. A small rush of air escapes past my parting lips. I move as quickly as I can, which is quick- inhumanly so- but it's not quick enough.

Satoshi closes his eyes, not wanting to see the long fall down. A grunt escapes him as he presses against the wooden bar, stomach first. His hands reach and grab the railing tightly, but there's no strength to them. All he manages to do is jerk himself onto his back, hips catching the railing painfully, only to end up sliding backwards.

By the time I move the short space over to him, his legs are high off the floor. I reach and fist a hand around one of his ankles, but it's not a secure hold. He slips from my grasp, propelling downwards with his back facing the wall beneath.

"Satoshi!"

In fast order, he uses his arms to protect his head, then like a graceful feline twists in midair. I lean over, watching him closely. His legs bend and an arm goes out, pressing a fast shove against the wall he's falling by. It's an unmistakable move meant to further his distance from it and, like a pro, he maneuvers enough to allow a half front flip, positioning his legs directly underneath him, he's care not to lock his knees into place.

I scowl, knowing the move all too well. It's a move Krad and I've had to use countless times over the years in our battles.

His feet make easy contact with the floor, taking most of the force off of them by going into an immediate sideways roll. The noise is light, issuing out of every touch against the carpet below. I decide to go for him, remaining alert for any of Krad's magical signatures as I do. There is no other way to explain what Satoshi just did unless Krad has taken over. The boy wasn't trained the way Daisuke was. But, I'm not feeling anything of Krad's. _Better stay focused. Don't let those older battles replay in you, Dark._

I take deliberately slow steps on my way down, moving easily and silently. I can't see Satoshi at this angle, his form is hidden by the stairs themselves. The air seems to hum with the the warnings of a fight soon approaching. Blood thrums excitedly through my veins at this, a steady rush that makes me almost want to smile devilishly. _Pull yourself back, you can't hurt him! _I chastise myself, wishing that animal part of me would have stayed in the past. Very bad experiences tend to bring out the worst in me. But this is no longer my past. That is no longer the first Hikari. _Get a grip! _Could I actually lose to my past instincts if we fight?

I may have remembered who I am, but that hasn't stopped the wildness in me. I'm still geared up after all that. Does this make me evil?

I come to a halt at the end of the stairway, peering sideways around the railing. Satoshi is laying on his side, facing my direction with his arm slung loosely over his face. I can't see his expression clearly, namely his eyes. I move towards him. My hair along my neck prickles as if warning, but I still can't sense Krad. Coming closer to him, I see his chest is unmarred. The seal is no longer visible, so why can't the devil be sensed?

Unless, the seal is on its last bit of power, lingering only from the last bit of an impression that _may _be on the inside of the skin. But, that would mean Krad couldn't have done that little stunt during his fall, though I'm sure it was him. Only he possesses that gracefulness. Besides, I've seen him execute it enough over time to know his form of it. I pause beside the still Hikari. _If Krad can't be sensed, does that mean he didn't use magic and force Satoshi to his will? Then how did- _

I bend down and place a gentle hand on the arm covering his face, removing it from blocking his view. Indeed, it is still Satoshi. Blue eyes look straight, wide and dazed. _He's in shock. _So I think. That's when I notice his chest isn't moving. _He's not breathing! _

"Not again you don't! After all we went through and after that display a second ago you'd better breathe!" _You'd better be alive!_

I stand up, hoisting him urgently into my arms and put his head over my left shoulder. Pulling my right arm out from underneath him, I use the bottom of my palm to thump him on the back. A held breath whooshes out of him. I smile a bit in relief when he chokes, or coughs one, and takes a shaky breath. _Okay, so it was the jar of the fall that made this happen. A bit of shock. Ouch... what that impact must have made his sore lungs feel like._

After a brief period his breathing returns almost to normal. (It still sounds somewhat shallow to me.) Knowing he'll try to resist my help, I turn, heading for the others and walk through the main room for the front door while carrying him with me. On an off note: he's way too light for his frame size in my opinion. Anyway, the others must be outside and they have to be doing something important. Having them not appear by now tells me so.

A feeble push against my chest gains my attention. I'd expected this. I lower my vision to the blue hair situated beneath my chin and stop in my tracks to watch him. Satoshi pushes backwards from me again, only to slump by my collar bone and neck. I reposition him, lifting him so his head can rest on my shoulder by my neck.

The urge to go get the camera and capture this on film gets highly tempting. But, I know I shouldn't. I'd be bad and end up posting them on the Internet somewhere. Still, a part of me wants take a picture, but in a way... it doesn't … I mean... I don't want to ... Sheesh. I kinda don't feel like rubbing this in his face. I stand there, carrying him with one arm, the other still on his back, wondering what the heck I'm doing getting all _mushy _like this. _Must be getting it from Daisuke. _Absently, I wonder if I should call out to him to see if he's awake. Maybe I'm getting influenced by him, or something.

"Put me down, Dark," a thin voice says to me. I shift to look down at him better. He puts effort into pushing out and looking back up at me. The beautiful azure is bloodshot and watery, but holds my gaze perfectly. His face gives little enough away, but the shaking in his body is telling me much. The little guy is either got to rest now, or he's going to faint soon. I prefer resting over fainting myself. _If I leave him on the couch, will __he try to get away? _The traps are loaded and he's in no condition to avoid them.

I do my best at putting on a warm smile for him, letting my slitted eyes return to normal at the same time. He blinks.

"So, when did you get back? And, how's Niwa?" he asks.

"What if I say I just "got back"?" I return with another question. He replies wearily, "Then, I'd call you a liar. I heard you up there." My smile turns into a full blown grin. _That's Satoshi for you. _Only he could go through all this as worn as he is and still catch one slip up.

"Then, you'd be right. If you must know, the seal that was on your chest worked in my favor. Once I touched it my mind cleared." But I dare not tell him what the old memories have brought back. This impression … of having a beast right beneath my skin is... difficult to say the least. _Damn, and after I'd worked so hard to get where I was, too. Everything just had to go ass up and bring things back better left forgotten. _

I wasn't created perfect, especially after the "split" occurred. With what all has gone on in my life... lives... the more I'm dragged into it, the more surrounded I become with my own magics, my own instincts, the more I lose reason, the more I'm willing to... Anyway, that's why I have Daisuke. He completes me, letting me see love from his eyes. Also, with the thought of a tamer, I don't ever use too much magic and let myself go. So, really. Who needs whom more: Daisuke? Or me?

"What about Niwa?" His voice falters. He needs to rest, not worry. I try not to miss a beat.

"He'll be fine. He's just resting right now, as you should be," I chide softly.

"Put me down." I close my eyes and sigh. _We're back to this already. _

"I've got to find the others and I'm not leaving you, so go to sleep." His eyes seem to darken and for a moment it's as if Krad is coming out of them.

"I don't care what you've got to do, just put me down. Can't you see I can go nowhere like this?"

"What? You mean topless?" I do my best to hold a questioning look on him. He acts dumbfounded for the briefest of seconds, then it appears as if I'm about to be hit, if only he were strong enough. I chuckle and his eyebrows draw in to a more furrowed angle.

"Maybe I just like holding you." His mouth opens the tiniest bit in shock, or horror, I'm not sure. He can be tough to read at the best of times.

His fist grips my open shirt. I stop my laughter. He goes rigid and grits his teeth hard. Suddenly, he nearly jerks out of my arms, head rolling back. This catches me by surprise. An instant later, his hand leaves my shirt to clutch at his chest. _Shit! _There's an ominous sense to the air...

"Satoshi?" I place my hand on his cheek, then support his head to bring it back up. Our eyes meet. His are streaked mostly gold. Satoshi is fighting, struggling difficultly. I almost wish he would let Krad win so as to relieve this stress off himself. But, it wouldn't be a very smart idea.

He grabs my hand, releasing his chest and binds me with a powerful grip.

"Mousy, I'll kill-" he releases his grip, aiming instead for my exposed throat within mid-shout. Without having meant to, my eyes return to slits and I release a spell. Having reacted to the attack, I wasn't even sure what I was doing, though there was a constant voice telling me not to hurt him... thank goodness.

"-Ah ...Uh..." His deadly hand drops and his eyes clear to azure. The power of my other half fades. Satoshi closes his eyes and murmurs in relief. I think all I did was send a command to sleep. Darn. This is very much like when I didn't have much control near the beginning.

Satoshi reopens his heavy eyes. I still standing holding him and think, _what a stubborn kid! _

His head nods once, twice and I bring my hand to the back of his silky blue hair, pressing him to the underside of my neck where he can sleep.

"Satoshi, sleep." My tone is soft and understanding. "Rest for now and have good dreams."

His body goes lax, falling into slumber at last. Eyelashes move softly across my skin as he slowly shuts his eyes. Uninterpretable words, mumbled and muffled, issue when he tenses a last time, trying to tug his left arm back upwards. It got too heavy for him to lift. I take back my right and reach for the twitching limb. Smiling, I place it on my chest, right next to him. It shocks me when he snuggles deeper into my neck. _It's probably just a response to him sleeping. _Has to be. He wouldn't do that knowingly, would he?

Well, it was still cute. ... There I go again sounding very unlike myself. A warm feeling erupts inside my chest regardless. Taking my hand again, I place it gently at the nape of his neck and lightly pet, rubbing a cheek against his at the same time. He sighs so softly, and with a little effort slides his arm from my chest to around my neck, holding onto me. Needless to say I'm more than shocked by this behavior. Something wet splashes on my arm. It's then that I realize a lone tear fell from my eyes, the warmth of it quickly receding into a cold trail down my cheek.

"It's only when our guards are up that we are enemies."

I finally move, carefully walking towards the couch. _Whatever has them busy outside can wait. _They are in no danger, I'd know. I smoothly sit on the soft cushions, taking time to easily set sleeping Satoshi more to my left side. _This little guy needs this. _Gently, I ease my back down along the length of the couch, stretching my legs out as well. They were a bit too long to fit all the way on, ending up hanging over the end.

I back as far away from the couch's edge as possible and place Satoshi beside me on his side. His face takes on a pained look as his chest takes on some of his weight. I smack my forehead. _Stupid me for not realizing that would hurt! _Before thought again, I use my magic. It has becoming too natural of a response for me. Taken aback, I hesitate, then decide to just go along with it. I begin by speeding the healing along, taking caution to numb the pain along the way. His face relaxes again.

Continuing with the healing, I sit up a bit to stretch out his legs. Having done that, I lay back, placing my left arm around him to keep him from falling off. I shift gently, getting us into the best comfortable position. The couch is very comfy and Satoshi nestles into my side. His head on my shoulder finds the crook of my neck. His arm starts tugging upwards again. I roll my eyes and reach between us, bringing it back onto my chest _again. _

He pulls it close to himself and I smile, holding back a small laugh. I lean my head back onto my other arm. Things may get complicated with my old instincts back, but I can, at this moment, enjoy life. I feel myself starting to doze off. Yawning, I reach from under me to the sleepy blunette.

Normal POV 

With had tumbled and rolled away from a few stray dogs in order to make it to the Niwas afar. So far! They had gone so far in his opinion! All the way to another set of cliffs by the ocean! With froze, seeing the crowd of people they were mixed in. He knew better than to try a direct approach. So, he jumped into a nearby bush, past a couple of people with big black looking boxes of some sort. Unknown to him, these were called video recorders. This was how reporters everywhere got into that little square box called a T.V. every night.

He hesitated, waiting for Emiko to get closer than the strangers. If she kept walking the way she was, she would be close enough in a matter of seconds. As hoped, she soon became the closest person.

"Kyuu! Kyuu!" With cried, trying his best to sound like an innocent cat to anyone that may overhear.

Emiko looked down fast. Almost in a blur she had With in her hands and shoved him into a pocket. She always had pockets in which to hide things.

"Kyu-uck!" With cried.

Emiko hurriedly gave _the_ signal. All Niwas knew an immediate response was needed for this one. She lifted her hand in a three time back and forth wave, ending the last with a sharp snap of her fingers. Seeing this grab everyone of her family's attention, she headed back for the house. Of course everyone followed in fast order.

Unfortunately, one stranger out there thought this looked too coordinated. They way that woman had snatched up something that sounded like a dying cat. The way she had "signaled" to her others. The way that they had been so keyed up on the whale only moments ago to follow her without a word of protest, or without questioning faces. No, something was up, he'd stake his reporting career on the fact that his nose was leading him towards something great. He was getting tired of the whale drifting about out there, anyway. He wanted a story now! And, being the overly suspicious person that he was, held an idea and followed them.

The Niwas entered their home at an acceptable pace. As soon as they had shut the front door Emiko quickly pulled out a smothered and twig ruffled With.

"Tell us what's wrong, With," Emiko said to the creature. With pulled himself together and jumped from her hands, hopping full speed up the staircase. They all followed with bated breath, knowing With was upset. He was never upset without good reason. They nearly made it to the top.

The white-fluff emerged back from the room right before they could make it in. Said white-fluff poked his nose into the air, looking first one way, then another. They watched him shoot off about four seconds later under all their feet, back down the stairs. As one they followed in hot pursuit. Kosuke took a split second to look sideways into the feather covered, trashed room of Daisuke's. _Both sets of feathers are present, _he thinks,_ Daisuke's in trouble! But, where's Satoshi?_

They finish running down and turn where With leads them. With enters the main room, bounding over to the big green couch; the one Emiko always thought was best for comfort. It was the one they usually grouped around for late night movies and a rare treat of popcorn.

"Kyuu." With stops and looks up. They all stop too, staring in wonder. Dark was asleep, holding onto a sleeping Satoshi. From the looks of his dressing, you could tell that his bath had never been taken. Whatever happened, the Hikari must have been there with her son, Emiko thought with affection. They were fine. With looked back at everyone with happy, shiny orbs. He smiled happily as he leaped onto the back of the couch, where he prominently started lowering his way onto Dark's other side.

With nudged Dark's face with a pink nose. Dark opened one bleary eye to look at him, then took his right arm from over Satoshi and cuddled his familiar. Satoshi, having felt the movement, woke just long enough to reposition a leg and snuggle back into his "pillow". A corner of Dark's mouth rose in amusement before he too fell back asleep. The rough colored lines high on his cheeks hinted at exhaustion. They all knew he must have used a great deal more magic recently.

The sleeping trio never saw the flash that signified their picture being taken. As the Niwas dispersed to leave them be, they headed for the kitchen to talk amongst themselves. All the while there, Emiko was so glad she now had the cutest picture of all time. If only she could share it...

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	14. Chapter 14

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Dark's POV 

I was adrift happily in my own little world of sleep, committing one heist after another and another, reliving some of my happiest times. One previous Tamer came to me there. On the edge of an old brick house we decided to sit. The night sky was completely open above us. All we could do was talk and talking with him is just what I needed then. He'd helped me centuries back when… well, you could say back when I was "rowdy".

"I don't understand why the wrongness is back in me, Dane," I said, knowing in the back of my mind the person sitting next to me was long gone and dead. Honestly, it felt more and more like he was really there. It was taking me back to the time when I had been his curse, back to when we'd helped each other move past limitations.

"Dark," he says.

"Hmm?" I turn towards him and a cloud covers the moon, the only light source available.

"Maybe you never worked something out about yourself. If old things have brought something back, then you never truly got rid of it in the first place." I stand, looking down to the lawn below. Darkness, or not I can see. It just requires adjusting eyes.

"Yeah, I pushed away somethings that held no answer for me. I'm not human with a single life to lead. I can't get old, or have a family. Heck, I can only be half of myself on a good day."

He shakes his head, deep auburn hair waving in the cold wind that's picking up. He stands and it begins raining, pelting down in icy sheets. _Since when did the night get so cold?_ I think to myself as the rain throughly soaks our clothes. Dane places a hand on my shoulder and watches as the storm builds high above.

"Dark, you can't see your problem, can you?" His hazel eyes look straight into mine as he asks, as if he can really see me in the blanketing darkness. A tingle of awareness comes over me, seeming to come out from his stare.

"You can't really be here," I tell him with slightly parted lips. "This is a dream. A normal dream. You can't be here like this." He smiles and it reminds me of Daisuke. Lightning flashes sharply, bringing everything into harsh detail. My slits narrow till it passes. No thunder sounds.

Guess some magics can even get by me.

"Every generation carries a bit of the past within them," he says. "In a sense you're right, I'm not really here. This really is your dream, but it's also a reflection." He points down off the edge of the building. There, rain water has pooled all around us as deep and pitch black and never ending as the sky. It quickly rises to the top of our structure and stops still. The pouring rain decides to no longer fill it.

I bend to look closer at it, only seeing myself reflecting back.

"Tch. You always did talk in riddles." Standing, I cross my arms. His expression goes serious. Lightning flashes again and he reaches out another hand to me.

"Know that whatever happens, somethings just have to be. Remember to live as best you can... and don't give up on love."

"You never will change your tune," I fully face the black water, "you always think love can exist for anyone, that it will complete them." Then, I jump, splashing into my own reflection. All goes quiet and I go into a dreamless sleep from there on. _What does life mean for me?_

…_..._

…_..._

Noise eventually drifts to me, bringing me out of my peaceful sleep. It sounds like hushed voices. Coming from the kitchen, a chair is moved. More voices.

I adjust a bit on the couch. A little weight is pressed on my left side, which is Satoshi, and a fluff ball is under my chin. My hand cradles it. Opening my eyes, the blurry form of the slim Hikari comes into focus little by little. His head is almost completely hidden from my view. All I can see is a partial jawline and some blue hair sticking out from under my neck. He's moved some from what I last remember. I look down towards the end of the couch, seeing a jean leg on top of one of my pajama ones.

"With, up," I whisper. Probably could have talked normally without any worries, but my head is throbbing from another overuse in magic.

"Kyyuuu," With yawns and stretches, then jumps up on top of my head, settling down for a restart into his nap.

"Not what I meant." … Leaving him be, I sit up with Satoshi. Remnants of magic fall away from me, looking like glitter as it catches the lighting before fading out of existence. Ignoring it, I shift the smaller form to lean across my lap, needing to check the condition of his chest. The action causes his hair to fall from in front of his closed eyes, better showing his face. The pinkness appears to have returned what little bit that it will to his naturally pale cheeks. I note that his lips are pinker as well, but really dry looking. _Dehydration. Gotta do something about that soon. _Dropping my vision to his chest, I place a hand to where the seal was. There is no power radiating. It's completely gone, no doubts. Good news is most of the soreness should be gone from him. I reach out for his legs, bringing him into a loose cradle within my arms.

Bringing my legs around to stand up takes caution. I slowly lower Satoshi back onto the couch, taking care to place him in a comfortable position. _His temperature isn't so cold anymore. _

First thing I notice other than the boy in front of me is the positioning of the sun. School should be letting out about now.

'Daisuke?' I call to him mentally. … No answer. He's out cold still. I'm getting more worried about him. Not much I can do, though. Talk still continues in the kitchen. _Guess I should head there._ I step around the couch going for the kitchen doorway, right past a window that's shining with late afternoon sunlight.

"Kyuu!" With complains with a wiggle. It must have blinded him.

"Well, you jumped up there." I feel him turn around to face the living room, preparing for a leap to get away from the glaring light.

"Hold it!" Grabbing him from the air in mid-jump, he relaxes. I turn around heading back to the couch again and place him by Satoshi.

"Alright." With hops lightly over Satoshi's shoulder and snuggles by his neck, placing himself into a curled up ball. Maybe I'm just imagining it, but I thought Satoshi might have had the whisper of a smile touch his face. Shaking my head at them, I move for the kitchen once again. Smells like food is being cooked. Kinda early for it, but I won't complain.

"You should have seen it," Emiko was saying.

"I saw it. There was more than just that one. Looked like a fully grown blue whale from the size and shape of its dorsal fin," Kosuke replies.

"What could have possible brought them over here?" Daiki asks.

"I have a hunch, but it's a long shot," Kosuke admits. "I need more time to find the book I'm looking for."

"It has to do with Satoshi." Emiko states to him rather than asking. Meanwhile, I listen in from the opposite side of the wall. Far be it for me to interrupt this conversation.

"You're right, Emiko. It has everything to do with Satoshi," he replies in a very serious manner.

"Is it in response to the death-like experience?" Daiki inquires. Emiko cuts in.

"That's right. We didn't hear the first whale's song until after Satoshi's ...death." I can picture Kosuke shaking his head in the brief pause that comes next.

"I don't think so. It is more than likely he's coming into something. Hasn't Dark been reporting strange "readings" coming from him recently?"

"But, what does this mean?" Daiki questions. Another pause happens where I can picture Kosuke again, this time to be absently rubbing his chin in thought.

"Daiki, you remember reading the few books we have on the Hikari history?" he starts out by asking. "Did any of the dates of death seem to you like a pattern?" I take a moment to remember swiping those particular books.

"I remember looking over it. Can't say that I remember any sort of pattern being in there." Listening, I hear him grab something off the table. It clinks back down a moment later.

"Well, I do. Every few generations there would be a mysterious death between the ages of fourteen and fifteen. Most of them were females, but there were some males."

"What does that have to do with whales?" Emiko cuts in a second time.

"Let me finish with what I have so far. Too be totally honest, I'm not sure myself," Kosuke says a bit dejectedly, but he continues on.

"You know how Dark was beginning to worry about the changes in Satoshi, right? Well, according to the book I'm currently talking about, the Hikari generation is very much due to have another one of these deaths." A worried hush comes upon the people in the kitchen.

"But-" Emiko starts.

"Right. Satoshi is next, but I don't think the records are all true about the deaths." Kosuke falls silent after this.

"Why?" One word, uttered by Daiki.

"Because of the few males that Dark fought against that ended up "dying" within the pattern. He told me that everyone and only those ones held a strange vibe, too."

"But, didn't he also say that he never saw them again after the dates written? What else could it mean but their deaths?" Emiko asks. Soft clicking of shoes is heard as she sits down in some other chair.

"I need the book on the Hikari medical history to be certain. But, I think they merely disappeared. They like keeping closed on a lot of their secrets and if what I'm suspecting _is _true, then this is a big secret, one that Satoshi himself might not even know."

"Enough with the suspense! Tell us already!" Daiki exclaims with exasperation. Frankly, I couldn't agree more.

"Hold on," he says.

"Grr! Darn you Kosuke for having to be so thorough in explaining theories!" Emiko whines. Meanwhile, I smack my forehead. Then, smelling something beginning to burn, I peek into the kitchen in time to see Emiko turning in her chair closest to the stove.

"Oh... Darn... there went the pie." She moves to take care of it. _As long as it's not cheesecake pie, the oven can have it. _

The guys get back to the topic at hand.

"Continue."

"Yeah," Kosuke tries to get back on track. "What are some of the legendary artworks done by the Hikari featuring mythical beasts?"

The others pause in thought. Of course I know what they are instantly. Skipping names: There's a marble statue of a shape shifter disguised as a man, a powerful canvas featuring the shape of a wolf with human-like eyes, a tiara carved from the supposed rib bone of a dragon, a ring that holds a small scale from a mermaid in its gem-like center, and finally the last to survive from the cultural revolution was a small jade statue of a griffin. There were many more at one time, but I can already see where he's going with this.

"Now tell me, what were the dates of completion on The Artworks of Myth? And, did the myths surrounding those creatures start before, or after their artwork counterparts?"

Everyone froze.

"You mean-" Emiko begins, but can't quite finish what she has to say. Kosuke nods to her.

"Yeah. The first few generations within the pattern created and finished _all_ of The Artworks of Myth. _All_ on the days of their "death". However, any and all supposed sightings of these creatures of myth happened only after the artworks creation. Take note that these sightings also took place in regions that never laid eyes on the Hikari artworks. Again, all supposed sightings took place _after _the artworks were done."

Daiki spoke up next.

"Meaning the Hikari knew these creatures really existed before the rest of the world did." Kosuke nods his head.

"Exactly. But, how did they know? And, why only did the questioned generations create art of the mythical beasts?"

"Are you saying that you think the Hikari of those generations had something to do with creating the mythical creatures of today?" Emiko asks.

"In part. But, I'm also saying that the generations in question might _become _those creatures of myth." Kosuke goes quiet after this, viewing the effect that these words had on the other two. I wasn't as shocked as them, having figured out where this was going earlier. Can't say I'm thrilled about this. Minutes past, but Daiki recovers before Emiko.

"You're saying that because they are never seen again, right? That and the sightings aren't caused by the mythical artworks themselves, otherwise Dark would be able to sense it and stop them. But, what triggers this in the Hikari? What creates the pattern?" Kosuke leans over in his chair, putting his face into his hands.

"My belief," his words come out muffled from his hands, "is it's their genes. One of two reasons for this, from what I see, could be: 1) It's their bloodlines way of manifesting more magic within their bodies to keep the Hikari powers from thinning too much, or 2) The magical powers manifest in a way of survival."

Everyone looks dumbfounded at the second answer, including me. I move to stand in the doorway.

"What do you mean exactly by survival," I ask while crossing the distance over to them. Emiko looks like she wants to get up and rush over to me. She thinks better of it and lets Kosuke answer my question instead. He turns to me as I pull another chair from the table to sit by him.

"I meant just what I said. It maybe for them to survive, or rather their clan as a whole. Again, I need their medical history book to be sure, but judging from the dates of all the Hikaris, those of the generation were also the only Hikaris left at the time. Just like Satoshi is now. The transformations could be triggered by either refreshing the magical gene, or by being the last Hikari of the time. Or, it could even be triggered by both causes, I'm not sure yet. And, the possibility remains that it could be neither one."

"So you're saying," Kosuke focuses solely on me, "that Satoshi could be experiencing these "changes" because he's that last of the Hikari?" Kosuke nods to me.

"How is that suppose to help his clan?"

He sighs. "It's all theoretical, Dark, but with the circumstances I'm sure that most if not all mythical creatures started from the Hikari."

"I'm not trying to say I doubt you. But, seriously, how does that help their clan?"

"Whoa! Does that mean that those Hikari could be alive today? As the creatures?" Emiko cuts in again. Kosuke faces her direction.

"I'm not sure on that. No actual credited sightings have been made recently and the artworks certainly didn't have a potential lifespan written on any of them." Frowning, I stand.

"You can't answer me, I see." Accusingly, I cut my eyes at him before turning away. I head back into the main room, wanting to check for any strangeness coming off Satoshi.

"Dark," Kosuke calls back. "Think about it. The changes ensure good strength within those Hikari. That is how it helps the clan." I laugh at him and he gives me a strange look.

"Lighten up, Kosuke. I was teasing you. I just thought you were going to say something along the perverted lines, like, the changes are caused as a side effect of puberty and make the Hikari great lovers, or something. _That_ would certainly explain how it helps their clan to survive." I walk away grinning, leaving three very red faces behind me.

"Glad to know you're back, Dark..."

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	15. Chapter 15

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"Mmeff."

"Hmm... I can't tell if you're awake, or not." Darks voice sounds far away. I feel a hand lay gently upon my forehead. It's warm, but I don't really care for the most part. I just want to stay asleep.

"You're cold again," he says. Slowly, my thought process begins working again. It only takes a second after that for me to recollect that I don't like close contact with anyone. I try to move some, at least until a huge pang resonates inside my head. Thankfully sleep comes again after that.

Normal POV 

"Dark, has Satoshi woken up yet?" Emiko asks. Dark turns from the edge of the couch to look towards her as she enters the room. He shakes his purple head.

"I thought he was in the process of waking up, but..." Dark reverts his gaze back down to the blue-haired boy laying on his back. His face is turned away from them."He seems to have fallen back asleep." Emiko comes closer, heading around to the back of the couch.

"Kyuu," With greets her from on top of it, his strawberry eyes gleaming merrily. She smiles pleasantly at the creature before speaking again.

"I'm guessing none of you are feeling anything from Satoshi?" Emiko questions. Dark looks up at her, removing his hand from his chin while doing so. An unnaturally calm expression was plastered on his face. She didn't like that expression. It usually meant a great feat was fast approaching.

"Yes, actually." She was afraid he'd say that. He extends his hands to bring Satoshi's face towards him. The perfectly smooth white of his Hikari features were relaxed deep in sleep. Dark's brows drew together in a scowl, his eyes quickly taking in the boy's face. Emiko knew he must be sensing something she wasn't. She wasn't the only one left out of the loop. Even With didn't appear to be sensing anything, for he was happily sitting and bobbing his head like he could hear some sort of music.

"What is it?" she dares ask, her face taking on a look of worry. Dark shakes his head again.

"I don't know yet," he answers. He lifts his arm to point towards the large windows from across the room, the ones facing the ocean.

"Could you open those for me?" She lifts a brow in question, but goes to do the small request.

"Why?" she asks as she unlatches the windows and pushes them wide open. A good breeze comes in, swirling the curtains she's by.

"I just wanted them open, that's all. … Jeez," Dark makes a deliberate show of fake huff. Emiko smiles at his effort to cut the growing tension. He focuses back on examining Satoshi. Emiko could imagine him reading the waves coming off the slim figure like seismologists read the waves of the earth.

The wind comes in strong a second time, ruffling the clothes on her body a good deal. She has just enough time to think a storm must be on its way before Dark's head shoots up in alarm. He swerves his attention in her direction and she is taken aback as his eyes go slitted and feral. He seemed to be staring at her with those violent daggers. Emiko opens her mouth to speak against this, then realizes he isn't looking directly at her with that horrible gaze, but past her and out the window she's standing in front of. She holds her tongue and with quiet hurry, moves away from the opening.

Dark stands slowly with both grace and tension, his focus solely on the window and what lays beyond it. Emiko had never seen this side of the phantom thief before. She shudders from both fear and exhilaration as she watches, feeling the power rolling off him. The others must have felt it too, or maybe just her father, but they both run into the room from the kitchen. Kosuke is the first to stop by her and it looks as if he's about to speak. Dark raises a hand for silence, not bothering to spare anyone any glances. He needed quiet right then. He was sure someone was sneaking around outside. He had smelt them as soon as the second breeze had caught his face. This was his home, with his family in it. He wasn't about to let anyone come in here and snoop.

He bared his teeth in a quiet growl, the little voice in the back of his mind telling him to cool down was losing volume fast and he pushed forward into a short run. He leaps more than half the distance, passing Emiko to balance on the window ledge. The others gather behind to see out.

Kosuke can easily tell Dark isn't handling this right. Dark leans himself down until he is hunched with both arms and feet perched on the ledge. He watches to the left of the house with avid attention and Kosuke sees one revealed ear move slightly, picking up some noise they can't detect.

Kosuke knew he would have to stop Dark before he made it outside and he knew he wasn't the only one to have realized this fact. Emiko and Daiki were practically holding their breath.

"Dark, don't go out there. There are too many reporters," he says trying and failing to avert the frightful attention back to them. Suddenly, Dark stands up, regaining his full height. His demeanor changes drastically, going from alert to icy calmness. Emiko thinks this is an improvement, for she sighs with relief. Kosuke, however, isn't persuaded. His suspicions are confirmed when Dark turns around to look at them all. His usually amethyst eyes were still strangely colored violet slashes and gave off the impression of a killer.

_But, Dark's not a killer, _Kosuke thinks. So why did he feel this?

"Everyone stay here and draw all the blinds shut. Make sure no one can see in. Emiko, turn on all outside traps. This guy is on my turf now and he's going to damn sure pay for it!" Dark heads out the window while magic starts claiming Daisuke's pajamas, replacing it with another outfit entirely. Before boots noiselessly touched the ground, the phantom thief was dressed in none other than all black leather. It was soft like velvet, close to the texture of Indian buck skin and fit snug.

The smoothness flowed up two long strong legs, coming up to lean hips that just begged to be touched. The shirt leaves just enough of the collar bone and wide shoulders bare to appreciate while drawing tightly all the way down the arms. Muscles from the abdomen and back play clearly underneath the shirt as Dark moves stealthily away from them.

(All in all this was a plain outfit, but with the package underneath, it didn't need anything else.)

Dark used a light speed to get him from the back of the house over to its side. He paused there, taking in the atmosphere around him. He could see no one, not even a hint of a shadow, or a moving shrub, but he knew the man was close by. Dark also took a minute to assess how far away the other reporters were. Judging by the noises they were making, they were over by the second point of the cliffs further to his left. That was perhaps a block, or more away. He wasn't sure. They weren't directly in his line of vision. And if all went well, they wouldn't be and vice versa.

He could pass as a regular person if seen from that far of a distance. He'd only need to change his clothes. Dark glanced down at them. He wasn't even sure how he'd summoned them, they just sort of happened. He looked back up, an expression of annoyance on his face. He wasn't sure he could do anything like it again either. Better with than without them, anyway. He didn't want to end up naked.

Some shuffling from on top of the roof catches his attention. It was time to hunt. Dark carefully walks the side of the house, staying by and not quite rounding the corner to the front. He scans the top balcony and from there sees a brown shoe go over. The guy was almost in the house! Why hadn't Emiko turned the outside traps on like he'd asked?

He would have to hurry now. At least the inside traps were still on. He crouches down to the ground, digging his boots into the grass. Putting a hand down flat to steady himself, he kicks off from the grass, sending himself soaring into the air. Landing with ease on the balcony, he was just in time to see the man, who was wearing what looked to be detective gear with medium length black hair, climb through a smaller window. Anger floods the thief at the sight.

His slits constrict, he bares his teeth and his hands ball into tight fists. If one is observant enough they can tell his purple locks aren't moving just cause of the off and on wind, but because of the energy from his fury.

Dark moves forward, putting back on the air of calm. He wasn't going to lose all reason just yet. No, first he will make sure and grab the intruder, then he will lose all reason on him. Dark stops at the open window, bending to look in. There was no sign of the guy, but he could hear the guy. _Wait..._ Dark jumps back from the window, his eyes wide and confused. He couldn't actually hear the guy making any noise, but rather the guy's own heart beating and the nearly quiet puffing as he breathed from his physical efforts.

Dark wasn't use to this, didn't want to be use to this... again.

"Crud," he says, shaking himself. "First things first, I have to stop him." Straighting himself up, he proceeds through the window as a mist darker than shadow.

**-.-**

The reporter was closing in fast on the little room he spied upstairs. Problem was this really big gap in the floor that separated his side from the side that holds the room. But, even from here he could see that the room was throughly trashed and covered with feathers, especially white ones. _Very interesting.. _He stands pondering how best to get over. He hasn't heard or seen anyone in the house other that himself so he isn't too worried about being loud. He decides to jump the gap. It seemed the most easiest way to get past it.

He backs up to the wall, then runs for it, leaping easily over. But, once he gets close to the opposite edge, a plank suddenly juts up a ways. His foot hammers it and with a curse of pain he falls backwards, right down into the gap. Down, down he goes, falling too far to have just been two stories high. _I'm falling to the center of the earth! _he thinks with a bit too much panic.

Abruptly, his fall ends when he lands in a very slimy and goopy pool of goo. SPLAT! Oh, it hurt! But, the sensation it leaves all over his skin is much worst. It's like it coated him with snot and it was inching him like wild ants! Desperately he fights to pull up and break the surface of the goop for air, till finally he breaks free with a mighty gasp. He made it sound as if he'd nearly died.

_What the hell is going on? _he wonders. From deep inside what's now a pit, the reporter, or perhaps reporter wanna-be, spies a ladder suspended in the darkness. Doing his best to dog paddle through the mess without thinking about where the goop was feeling worst at... ahem... he reaches out for the nearest rung. Too bad he can't get a grip. Time and time again he falls backwards into the humiliating goo. Each time his discomfort rises another notch.

Dark waits from up top of the pit, unbeknown to the angry reporter below. _Serves you right you slime ball, _he thinks with tingly pleasure. But, the guy was really starting to pant now. He could've swallowed a lot of the slime, so maybe it was time to save him? _Although, I really don't want to touch him. _Dark smiled evilly as an idea comes to him. _This is going to be fun!_

The thief goes and presses a hidden button on the wood work of a painting over on the wall. All at once, the walls in the pit open, letting water rush in. The man screams awfully. Dark lets the pit fill a good bit before hitting the button again, thereby turning the water off and letting it drain back out. The man was sprawled at the bottom, all slime dissolved and gone.

Curious violet slits look down on the reporter as he gets up and clings to the ladder. Dark waits until the unwelcome intruder finally makes it nearly to the top before blending into a shadow close by. He shuts his eyes so the glowing of his purple iris' won't give him away. Instead of sight, he'll used his other heightened senses.

The intruder finally makes it up. All he wants is to get out of the weird home as fast as possible. But then again, his reporter spirit is keyed up by the unusual trap. _Trap _in a _house_! He couldn't even begin to imagine what these were set for! He was practically drooling to know as he tried to envision what secrets were hidden here.

In amateur caution, the man walks towards Daisuke's room. A strange dent in the wall next to the doorway catches his eyes. It was as if someone had gotten rammed into it really hard. He smiles, now knowing where another trap was, or at least that it was nearby. (...And, that's not enough knowledge to save yourself). He steps and places a hand on the rail of the stairs, sliding his hand along it. There is a small click as his hand comes across a hidden switch. He turns at the unusual sound and from there things go black. He feels his back ram breathtakingly hard against the wall behind him, exactly where the dent was and it's like his whole rib cage shatters. His mouth hangs open like a fish out of water, stunned by the impact.

He's sliding down the wall when his vision comes back. What he sees make his mouth drop even wider. A big red boxing glove was retracting itself from across the room. It stretched right over and across the gap that was the horrible pit. He stands shaking, mortally fearing for his life with his arm wrapped around his hurting gut. Swiftly floating, a black feather comes into view. It floats right past his nose to land on the stair railing in front of him, right where that switch he'd hit was. CLICK The sound is sharp against the quietness of the place. ..._Oh, merciful heavens..._

Dark watched as the man was slammed into the wall again. He winced for the fellow, but didn't feel the least bit sorry for him. The man slides down a second time and Dark debates whether or not to hit the switch for a third time. It was a bit too repetitive for his taste, but he did like it. He smirks evilly, deciding to spare the man a third round with the over-sized boxing glove. _It's gotta be stuffed with bricks, _he thinks to himself, remembering his own incident from earlier with it.

_I really should check up on Satoshi. _Dark watches the man now laying on the floor, unmoving. _Do I have time to leave and check on him? Or, should I just finish up here? _The man twitches and soon picks himself off the floor. _Darn_.

Having gained his feet back under him, the reporter makes to enter the messy room of Daisuke's.

"What happened here?" the man wonders aloud. His eyes take in every detail as only a reporter can. He sees the glass stabbed deeply into the walls, books torn and thrown everywhere and feathers littering the floor. _Whoever lives here is a very disturbed person. _He gets more and more uneasy about the place and its inhabitants. He bends to pick up two feathers; one black, one white.

One was warm, the other was cold. _Hmm._ The black one is defiantly the phantom thief, Dark's. It had that purple gleam to it. The white one he isn't so sure of. _Dark doesn't have any white on those wings, does he? _he wonders. He's still in wonder as a cold force comes up behind him. He drops the two feathers and spins around, his heart in his throat at the malignant impression of the force. A black substance was coming together in front of his eyes, looking like floating wisps of tar. He takes a shaky step backwards out of fear and suddenly Dark the Legendary Phantom Thief was towering over him. The reporter never noticed before during the thief's many heists how animal-like his eyes were. Then again, he'd never really gotten close enough during any of the heists to see him properly. He was now, though, and the reporter didn't like it one bit.

A part of the man's mind was in awe whispering, _Wow! So this is his house. No wonder why it's so weird. _Another part was screaming, _Run! _But, all he could do was look back into those eyes with terrible fear. That's when the screaming part of his mind told him, _You're an idiot!_

Dark roughly grabs the man's shoulder in a firm hold.

"What are you doing here?" His voice is a low, menacing growl. The hair stands up on the captive man's neck.

"I-I was-s follow-ing a fam-family here." The reporters eyes were as big as light bulbs and were just as glassy with petrified fear, but Dark wasn't about to go easy on him.

"How dare you break in to my home," Dark says in an icy cold fury, sounding a lot like Krad on a bad day. The guy makes a terrified squeaking noise then proceeds to wobble from side to side. He then falls like a rock to the floor, passing out cold by Dark's feet.

_Well... _Dark thinks, _Time to take out the trash. _He grabs the guy by the scruff of the neck and drags him down the stairs. Dark knew he'd have to wait for the guy to regain consciousness before he could alter his memories. Wouldn't due for the guy to spread word that the phantom thief lives at the Niwa residence, so he wouldn't dump him outside just yet.

Letting the guy go unceremoniously in the middle of the hallway, Dark makes his way to the main room. All Niwas turn towards him as soon as he enters. He looks at their worried expressions wondering what the matter is.

"So, I caught the snoop. Did you find that book by any chance, Kosuke?" Kosuke shakes his head.

"No. I didn't leave the room. None of us did," he replies.

"Emiko, the guy made it into the house because you didn't turn the traps on out there. You realize that means I'm going to have to erase his memories, right?" Dark hated to sound mad at her, but he hated having to tamper with the mind of someone. It was personal ground one should never cross, though sometimes it proved necessary.

Emiko flinches like he'd lashed out at her. She was very uncomfortable. Taken aback, Dark wonders again what is wrong. Maybe she felt guilty? He hadn't meant for that to happen.

"Dark," she begins, "you're worrying me." She glances to his face, taking in the flashy purple of his hair framing his features, the sharp angle of his nose, then up to his eyes.

"Change them back. Don't ever go like that again," she says, watching him. Dark understands now. She feared him. It hurt like a knife to his heart. She was a mother to him after all and...

He relaxed and had regular pupils by the time he blinked.

"Don't get so uptight everyone. I'm still me," he says with a forced chuckle. Kosuke steps forward from the small group.

"Dark, we need to talk."

"Fine, but let me-" Dark's reply is cut short as he feels eyes on his back. He turns around fast to see the reporter standing in the doorway. The guy was taking in everything from Dark, to the Niwas, to the Chief Commander unconscious on their couch behind them. The idiot pulls out a camera from one of his pockets and before Dark can make a move, takes a picture before running off through the house for the back door.

Dark growls, his boots taking flight across the carpet as he follows the reporter. The man changes route and ducks into an open room, quickly locking the door behind himself. He backs away from the door and spins around to see where he's at. It's an adult bedroom. He feels a flush of embarrassment heat his cheeks. He shouldn't be in here.

The purple-haired thief's hand actually hesitates on the door knob to the bedroom. He shouldn't go in there, but how else is he suppose to capture the man? It's a stalemate if he leaves him in there. Then again, the guy would have to come out sometime. Dark shakes himself for being stupid. It was just his parents bedroom, they'd forgive him. With that, he takes hold of the knob and commands it to unlock. He feels the lock give with his magic and turns the knob without further resistance.

Stepping into the room, the first thing he notices is the window wide open. Emiko never left her bedroom window open. He walks over to it and looks out. _Damn! He could be anywhere now! _

In the closet, the scared man hopes the phantom thief will go out the window he'd opened and not look in the room. The man holds his breath, shivering with fear. He knew he'd never get back to the crowd of people before the supernatural thief could catch him. So, he hid close by to throw the thief off his trail. Hopefully for the man it wasn't a mistake he'd come to regret.

He watches through a hole in the closet as the thief leans out the window and looks for him. Hope rises in his chest. Then, the thief leans out at a different angle and the man catches sight of his terrifying face. Hope is replaced by absolute fear. Whatever the phantom thief was, he wasn't human. That face reminded him of a serpent, not a man.

Dark looked down to the ground below. He didn't see any depressions from the man jumping out. In his ears he heard a sudden change of heart rate. It sounded fast and very, very close by. He sniffs and the taste of fear stings his tongue. He gently pulls back from the window and turns towards the closet, frowning heavily. If it was one place Dark dared not go it was his parents' closet. That man was really going to get it now.

"Oh, _shit!_" Dark hears him whisper. He places his hands on his hips and puts on a smug expression.

"You might as well come out. I know you're in there," he says in a cheery voice., but it's laced with a small undertone of promised retribution. The man scrunches into a ball.

"Please let me go!" the man's voice wobbles in response. Dark just smirks.

"I wasn't going to hurt you. Just give me the camera and you can leave." Something about the thief's expression says he isn't telling the truth. The man whimpers.

"You're lying!"

Dark scowls and walks to the closet's door. That's when he spots another trap. How the guy hadn't set it off had to have been by pure luck. No, wait... It was a talisman meant to react to magical beings, not humans. _Great... _And, it was on the door knob too. He couldn't open the door.

"You have to come out at some point. Come out now and I won't tell where you've been hiding to the owners of this room," he tries to bargain. A shuffling noise is heard, then the door opens slightly and a red face shows through the crack. Dark backs up a bit to let the man out, but the door is suddenly swung hard and hits Dark right in his side. The man had decided to make a break for it and the talisman buzzed to life on contact.

Dark couldn't see, everything was a blinding white to him. An electrical shock spread throughout his entire body and the next instant, he's thrown backwards. The man had run to the bedroom window in an attempt to get out, but stared transfixed at the sight of the thief being electrocuted. At least, that's what he thought had happened. He'd watched as the purple hair practically stood on end and Dark's body bowed and jerked, then was sent flying. He crashed right into a dresser and it splintered. As Dark fell to the floor heavily, the man heard a severe gasp.

He saw that a corner of the wood from the dresser had lodged itself in Dark's side. Panic rose. He couldn't tell if it was deep, or not, but it was a big piece of wood. He debated whether or not he should continue running. He was totally scared now, but... What if he went to get help? Then, it'd be okay!

"I'll get help!" the man says, jumping out the window. Dark curses, grabbing the wood in his side firmly, pulling it straight out. Immediately he hunches and lets go of the piece to cover his wound. It was warm and sticky. He pulls his hand away to see dark crimson covering his palm. The wound itself wasn't too bad, it was just going to bleed for awhile. Something he'd worry about later. After all, he'd had much worse before.

**-****)*(****-**


	16. Chapter 16

**-****)*(****-**

"Satoshi, wake up," I thought I heard someone say. The words had oddly faded in and out, making them hard to catch. People begin mumbling shortly after, or maybe my hearing was still off.

"He maybe too worn still to wake up. It has only been about four hours." That sentence came through clearly.

My body felt like it was made of stone. A statue of terribly dry stone. Nothing wanted to work. My limbs refused to move. I couldn't even speak. Every time I tried it was if the signal from my brain would get screwed up and lost somewhere.

"Well, he's looking dehydrated, Kosuke. He needs that drink now," Emiko says to her husband. My left hand is grabbed by another. Automatically I try to pull away from the warm contact, but my limb doesn't listen. Emiko gently squeezes and speaks.

"Come on, wake up."

_ I'm trying, but I can't move! _I want to tell her. Krad stirs then.

'No, Krad!'

**'You will let me move.'** He sounds angry, yet there's an air of excitement about him.

I turn every force I have inward to press against him.

**'Now, Master, is that any way to thank me for my earlier help?' **

He feels my confusion at this and laughs.

**'You did not realize? During the fall you willing merged with me. How else did you think you pulled off that feat? That blasted seal kept me from reacting, but you clung on to the part of you that is me, dear Satoshi,' **he drawls in that accent of his.

My skin crawls and I fall into shock. The thought of me willingly becoming Krad chases itself in circles inside my head. It just isn't possible. I would never willing become a part of him. _But, he's right. How else could I have done that? _It had felt so natural when it happened... like catching yourself before you trip. What does that say about me? About him?

"Kosuke, he's not responding at all," Emiko says. Inwardly, I jump. This was all Krad needed. He pushes all at once against my shields and they give. His triumph spreads through me even as his burning presence races to the forefront of my mind.

'You won't win that easily, Krad!' I focus hard to keep my thoughts separate from his own. He in turn works to overpower me; forcing my resisting will, my soul away.

_I'm slipping! _

'Krad!'

**'Just give in.'**

'I'm warning you! Stop this!'

**'Your threats are empty, Satoshi.'**

_No!_

A few seconds more of his pushing and I'm forced to the very back. But, his wings weren't coming out from my shoulder blades. In fact, he wasn't transforming at all; which catches me off guard. Probably due to the lack of power from my very weak body. You never know for sure with Krad.

"Emiko, just let him rest and let's find Dark. I didn't like the sound of that crash earlier. And your father said he couldn't find him outside either," Kosuke voices. My hand still lay in Emiko's when Krad moved it. Somehow he'd managed to get a response from my limb. His magic then starts to flow freely underneath my skin, mingling with the magic running in my own veins. It becomes strong, but not strong enough yet to cut me out of our consciousness. Because of, but unwillingly, my being becomes more a part of him and I start seeing into him a little more clearly. I hate this _merging_.

**'Krad, you were causing the paralysis! You were already taking over!' **

'Correct, Master Satoshi.'

_How could I've not known? _Through Krad's heighten senses, I suddenly take in the smell of blood and feel a wave of untamed magics lingering. A thrill spins through Krad at this and in turn spins through me. _No! Stop! _

Krad hears my thoughts and laughs.

"Kosuke, he jerked his hand some. I think he's coming round."

_No! Run away!_

I want to turn away from Krad's horrid thoughts. I want to pull back. Run and save myself, my sanity, from the imagined chaos and bloodshed playing within his mind. But, I can't- won't- be a coward. Especially if the Niwas want to survive this.

_This angel will go to hell. And, damn that laughter!_

**-.-**

Dark's POV 

_ Perfect! _That damned reporter hightailed it down some cliffs and now I can't get to him. Well, actually I can it would just require my wings. But, that's not exactly an available option with people so close. Being spotted wouldn't be too big a deal if I could smuggle the guy away without him screaming and bringing the wrong kind of attention down on me. The chances of that successfully happening are practically nil.

_Think, Dark. What can you do to get him up here? _I growl, causing some of the people over by the other cliff to glance around nervously. Good thing I'd hidden behind one of the few trees we have. _Calm down. _Once everyones' attention focuses elsewhere, I peer straight down the cliffs edge attempting to spot the troublesome reporter. He's nowhere in sight. We don't have any hidden caves down this part of the cliff, so he should still be in plain view.

"He must be in the water!" The fact hits like an electric shock. (Like I really need another one, right? What, after that talisman and all.)

_Oh no! _The man could easily die from the most gentlest of waves pushing him under and against the sharp rocks hidden below. _Please don't be dead! _Though, him being dead would explain why he's never made a single shout out for help in all this time. _There's a chance that he was just too fearful of me and wanted to keep quiet until he met back up with the crowd, then he fell and was unable to call out. _I'll hold on to that way of thinking until I know for sure.

'With!' I call out telepathically.

'Coming!' he answers and I feel the familiar link forming between us.

I check left and right for the best area to appear from and run for it. Heading away from the crowd, diagonal from the cliffs and leaving my cover, With comes racing out of the house. He's smart, he knows better than to transform right away. He hops along the ground with amazing speed for such a little guy.

The grass blurs beneath me. With closes in about twenty yards away and I can feel him already giving up his control unto me. It's the ultimate show of trust. Turning sharply, the drop off the cliff looms sharply ahead. The endless ocean comes into view as my boots strike hard and in long strides. At the last second I gather and leap, breaking far out from land and pausing in that half-second before dropping over open waters. The sparkling blue is nearly all there is to see as I fold into a practiced nosedive. With connects to my back then, transforming into my large black wings.

'Good, friend!' I praise him. His happiness flows through us in response.

Having flight restored and ignoring the loud surprised shouts of my name starting up, I flare open my wings, banking one into a turn. A constant breeze blows against us, but it goes on ignored. The sun brightly overhead seems to spin as does the ocean until I face back around towards land. My slits scan the waters closest to the shore, finding nothing in the small waves sliding up on its features.

Pulling my wings in and dropping down lower coming at a slight angle, I come close to touching the waters, being careful not to. Wouldn't due to have to fly with wet feathers.

"Come on! Where are you? I know you're here somewhere!" Frantically I search the waters again, flapping to turn and look fully out into the ocean. _Come on! Come on! __Where? _

Nothing!

But, wait! Something on the side of the cliff higher up catches my eye. I flap hard to lift up, spraying saltwater everywhere. Reaching the side shows a little smear of red on the rocky surface. Reaching out a finger, I swipe at it. It's sticky and the smell is definitely that of blood. I back away and hover, checking for any more signs on the cliff, finding none.

_This must be where he fell from. _Otherwise, there'd be more signs of blood spots moving away from here. Maybe him getting cut on the rocks is what made him fall in the first place.

I fold my wings and drop sideways, going into another nosedive. Waiting until the sight of rocks below saltwater is only a few feet away, my wings open like a chute and beat out a tough rhythm against a particular strong breeze. My heart speeds at the sensation of getting pulled off course as I have to readjust to it. Wasting no time to begin scanning again, my eyes finally spot what I've been searching for.

He's there, stuck in between two of the many rocks underwater. It looks like the leg he's been caught by is broken badly. I aim carefully, then plunge for the warmish waters, breaking a few feet under. Immediately what feels like fire starts burning at the small hole in my side. Reflexes jerk and I take in water, choking. Angrily, my wings beat in an effort to keep me down towards the reporter instead of back up for air. Locking the choking spasms in, ignoring the small flood that's made it into my chest and the burning almost cutting sensation in my wound, my eyes lock back on target.

It's not looking good; he's not moving. I latch onto one rock and bend a wing to scoop underneath the guy, needing to lift him from the crooked angle he's at. He positions easily enough into the soft, feathery underside. My chest seriously burns now and red starts to mix heavily with the water at my side. Reaching with a clawed hand, I grab the oddly twisted leg that's stuck and maneuver as best as I can underwater to work it out of the tight area. It takes effort, but it finally comes free. After gathering the guy to my arms by drawing in the wing holding him, I kick off with all the force I can muster.

Breaking the relatively shallow surface in good time, I drag my wings from the depths to high above me and start flapping. It's difficult to get lift from this position. Unable to hold the spasms back any longer, I cough; making me falter in my attempt at flying. Everything turns upside down as I fall the few inches gained backwards with a splash. Breaking surface once more, I try again. My body drags as I come up fully free from the waters hold. I feel so heavy. Coughing some more, salty water comes up. Total willpower and flight instincts keep me airborne.

Flapping with all I've got, the man's added weight along with his heavy drenched attire ways me down horribly until we finally make it to the top of the darned cliff. Landing awkwardly, I drop the despondent reporter, coughing and panting. Wings become heavy and With and I are too drained to revert just yet. The guy starts coughing as well, relieving me of worry.

_He's not dead. _That pressure valve is released. I really didn't want to attempt CPR.

My name being shouted time and again makes me glance up towards the rushing crowd of people and reporters alike. I gawk at them in horror.

_Oh no!_

The psycho reporter still needs his memories fixed. I kneel to the man's side. His gaze is unfocused, but on me. Too petrified is he still to make a noise, even after all he's been through. Or, maybe it's just shock on his face... Or, maybe he can't speak for nearly drowning... Anyway...

I grab him and force him to stare directly at me. I don't have the necessary time to properly erase his memories of the Niwa home, but I can blur them and make them seem like a dream.

"You will sleep," I command him, sending the impulse flooding into him, giving him no time to fight against me.

"Don't think hard on the past half hour. You were only in an accident, falling from the cliffs. You remember nothing of me today." I _make_ the time to erase everything about myself from his thoughts.

"What are yo-" he tries to asks weakly while already falling under. Too late. His eyes roll back.

The crowd is close as the need to search for the man's camera itches at me. Reaching with a hand, it's found in one front pocket from the over-sized coat. Standing and smiling pleasantly, I quickly throw the camera from behind me off into the water below. Wouldn't do for them to think I mugged the guy. I'm not that kind of thief.

"Dark! What are you doing here? What's with the rescue? Do you know this man?" Questions start firing off, making my head spin.

"Sorry everyone, but I must be going. Catch me later, okay?" Spreading my wings I turn back around towards open ocean.

"Dark! You're hurt!" one lady shouts. My gaze falls around to her. The others take in this information with astonishment.

_What? No one thinks I bleed like everyone else? Jeez..._

I pause, looking down to my hurt side. It does look bad. The clothing is slick with both water and blood. From the rip in the shirt the puncture is clearly visible. My face blanches.

_No wonder I'm wearing out. This thing has been bleeding like crazy! _I knew it would bleed, but whoa!

It has just become a major priority to get back into the house as fast as inhumanly possible. That may prove to be tricky with everyone out here. I have to make it seem like I don't stay anywhere near the area. Before facing back to the water my lips cast a grin for the people. Hey, it's pointless worrying about the possibility of this turning into a long flight. Let's just hope that any potential dizziness is a long way off yet.

"Dark! Don't!" one young woman shouts at me from within the crowd. I don't bother looking at her. My wings thrust downwards for liftoff and the next thing I know, that same young woman runs and latches onto my back. Already hovering an inch above ground from the just issued thrust, she pushes against me and we lean heavily forward.

_ ! What the-_

"Risa!" another young woman shouts.

_Oh no!_

**-.-**

Krad's POV 

"Mousy."

_You are closer to becoming like your old self. _

How I have waited for this day.

**'You won't silence me!' **

'You will behave and do what you were born to do, Satoshi. You will not feel for these pathetic humans.'

"Come on, open your eyes, Satoshi," the female Niwa says close by. A smile tugs at my lips, but I keep my face set straight.

"Emiko, I have a bad feeling. Something bad is about to happen."

I focus on the male's voice.

_ You could not be more right. _

Ignoring the weakness and discomfort from the blanketing weariness, my eyes slowly open. Two taller figures stand blocking the light that is filtering through one of the windows. The woman's kind features are the first details that I make out clearly. I blink, trying to become more aware.

"Kosuke, hand me the glass on the coffee table." She throws a glance over her shoulder at her husband. There is a joyous look on her features. They are definitely little Niwa's parents, for I can see the resemblance.

Kosuke hesitates to do as asked. Meanwhile, I make to sit up. The action causes a queasiness to build in my stomach. Not sure what all I can do at the moment, I settle for glaring at the father while finishing my talk with Satoshi.

'Satoshi, before I seal you completely for the next while, you should know you need to hydrate yourself more often. You are bordering anorexia as well. With all the calories burned in today's exertions, make sure you take care tonight. I want you to last longer than this.'

**'I hope they kill you, Krad!'**

With great speed I weave across his connections, tying him off from me, but not before my last few words make it to him.

'If they kill me they will end up killing you. They would not do that. It is I that will end up doing the killing, dear Satoshi. Remember that as you awaken next with the Niwas blood drenching you palms. Know with it that the Hikari struggles are over. That is if you awaken. Your body is so terribly drained right now that not even I know if you will survive my power this time around. Would not it be glorious to die in completing your life's purpose?'

His rage comes to me as tiny hot tendrils spreading through our link. Then, he's sealed and gone. Only a bit of his icy presence remains locked to me. It is enough to settle for.

It only took a moment to conclude this, but Kosuke didn't fail to notice my continual glare. His expression changes to slightly angered puzzlement as I battle to keep my eyes from changing to their usual gold.

_I have covered my tracks well in burying my magic within Hikari magic. Let them try to figure me out. As soon as I get the chance to strike, they will be lying dead. _

For I have to wait. There isn't much I can physically do yet.

"Satoshi, what's wrong?" Emiko asks, having noticed the staring going on. Her hair lightly sways as she turns her head to and fro between us, obviously concerned.

"Kosuke?" The moment her back turns towards me, the moment her attention lays focused on the male in front, my hand clenches with the need to grab her by the neck and twist. I veer my sight to the petite female frame, easily and carefully turning so as not to alert her while bringing my knees up under me. I want to pounce with force, to feel her bones break in a quick, but sweet second. The soft cushions of the couch hinder my movements somewhat.

"Emiko, why don't you come over here for a minute?" Kosuke's voice implies somethings wrong and her posture stiffens. My efforts weren't meant to be suspicious.

_That man has a strong intuition._

I snarl, releasing all the force my legs can give to propel forwards. My open hand shoots out ahead of me for the unguarded woman's neck. She spins, startled, back in my direction. Her huge eyes nearly take in the sight of me. A split second, but it's way too late for her. As I'm going, the muscles in my body clinch and release, ready and wanting to expand into my much bigger form. I fight off the urge for now.

Her lovely soft skin connects and I fist with a tight grip. My nails dig into the sides of her neck as we fall together. Warm blood runs down my fingers, then she's pulled from my grasp.

Kosuke releases a yell and Emiko yelps as we fall in a tangle. Scrambling, Kosuke picks Emiko up and moves away.

"Use the charm again, Kosuke!" she half shouts, terribly shaken.

I pick myself up, scowling fiercely. Pure hatred radiates as I look to them sitting in stunned bewilderment a few feet over. Then my limbs suddenly give out, sending me to the floor again. They stare. I jerk once uncontrollably while lying there. The two watch as the breath rushes out of my body and then it jerks more, becoming worse. Satoshi's body is fighting me off. I can feel it building to rebel against me.

_ Why? _

"We can't use that twice in a row," Kosuke says in a slightly calmer if not shakier voice, subconsciously gathering his wife closer in his arms. "The power it uses can hurt Satoshi after too long. It takes a lot to seal something as strong as Krad. The toll it could take on him is too great to chance."

I turn my head until they are more easily within sight. The jerking eases some and I push up trying to move for them, needing to see them lifeless. The woman's brown eyes steadily meet my own. Sweet crimson tracks trail down to her simple tan shirt. A smile comes and my iris' turn gold. Slits contract as they watch the blood become absorbed by the shirt.

"Satoshi, come back," she says. My smile turns into a grin.

"He cannot hear you." My voice is still that of Satoshi's only with my own accent in use. It's a strange combination. A laugh gets turned into a grunt as my throat constricts along with every other muscle again. The man's face takes on a hardened look.

_What's he bracing himself for? _I wonder.

Something painful runs down my spine and I find myself curling into a ball on my side, eyes closed and arms wrapped close, unable to resist it.

_What is this? What is causing this?_

A quiet shadow looms over me. I quickly open my eyes and face the old Niwa. I remember this tricky one from long ago. Enraged, I gnash my teeth together, reaching and lifting up to strike him in any way possible. I notice the silver chains by his side a little too late. Wouldn't have done me much good to have seen them anyway.

He kicks my striking arm aside and lands the same boot on its wrist to pin me. I growl, promising him a merciless death. He hurriedly brings the chains sweeping down. They come heavy and cold, glinting with the light. I struggle, trying to reclaim my arm from under his boot. My vision is filled with flailing limbs and the sounds of my gurgled cries spin around us. I twist to my stomach, reaching to get away before he can properly contain me.

_ It is too late! _

He struggles with me. I pull across the carpet. Cold metal wraps around my throat, making me choke.

"Stop, Dad! You're hurting him!" She gets up to rush over.

"Emiko, he was going to kill you," says the old Niwa, holding the chains tightly. "Just let him wear down." I kick out at him, managing a hit behind one knee. He bends from it, nearly falling. I try again, only to miss as he tightens the chains, crushing my larynx. Colors soon become blurry. I buck, twist and pull, but nothing eases them off. One hand gets pulled into the chains. I jerk away, landing roughly at an odd angle.

"Stop!" she cries again. "You're going to have him break his own neck!" Tension is running high.

"Then so be it!" the old Niwa says with heat. I turn what little I can to cut my eyes at him. He stares back and I can see his willingness to kill reflecting at me.

"No! I won't allow that!" She comes down for me. I lash back at her. Kosuke runs to the side of me, picking me up roughly. I hiss as the older one wraps me throughly with the silver. Flailing again, I get dropped, only to lie still from the impact reverberating down my spine. My face is to the carpet.

"You're firmly restricted, Hunter. Try magic and your death will come for you," old Niwa says with conviction. I smile at their efforts and determination. The woman, Emiko, frowns. She bends close to me and my smile falters. I don't like her.

"Satoshi." She runs a hand through my hair. I struggle away from it. "Come back." Slits of mine look to her pupils.

"I already told you, he can no longer hear anything."

"That doesn't mean he'll stay lost, Krad. If you don't believe me why don't you draw more blood?" she asks. I flare my magic in response to the open challenge, wanting to change. I can feel my wings building before my body cringes in outright denial. The old man greatly tightens the chains around me to bring remembrance of his threat. He needn't have worried. I couldn't change with the current happenings. But, maybe the wings...

"If you want my blood so bad, then here." Her wrist comes before my face by the carpet, bringing the light flowery scent of her flesh. My wings burst out, scratching in mild pain against the chains. Everyone tries moving hastily away. In a swift motion, I take my wings and slam them into both Niwa males. They're shoved a good distance by the move. I flap once, lifting myself partly off the floor and ramming into Emiko while doing so. She falls with a shout. I come down on top of her and embrace her tightly within a feathery prison. She won't escape.

"And, now for that blood, Niwa." She just looks at me with an expression I can't read; sadness along with something else. Fear is what I want to see.

I bare my teeth, using my only available weapon, and swiftly dive for her vulnerable neck, aiming to maim not kill this time. She jerks hard when my teeth connect. She bucks over and over as I hold on to her, biting down with intense pressure. A few seconds and the peach skin finally gives, making a popping sound. She cries in a wailing scream as her blood fills my mouth.

_Victory to me, Niwa._

The others pull at my legs, meanwhile the woman's pitiful sobs ring in my ears. One set of hands release to pull at the wings I've enclosed around us.

"Get off her!" It's the younger male, Kosuke. _How nice._

I bite down harder, earning a high-pitched scream.

"Damn it! The charm! Bring me the charm!" Kosuke shouts in alarm.

Lovely tangy crimson pours from her wound in rivers. I can feel it slipping warmth between us. Her heart continues to beat swiftly, bringing lots of it pouring down my throat. Never has a victory tasted so sweet.

I ease out of the wound and her crying lessens slightly. Shifting my wings the tiniest bit to get her attention, I lift my head to stare at her. She meets my gaze with a trembling lip and tear streaked eyes. Only for a moment.

Going back to the wound that's bleeding freely, I lavish it. I cannot resist the beauty of it. She hisses in pain. All my attention becomes absorbed by this action; licking and relishing the Niwa blood. I take in more of it.

_ Maybe, I'll drain her dry._

"Forgive me, but I said OFF!" The shout breaks through the haze of pleasure I'd fallen into. Kosuke grabs my right wing and an instant later the top half feels numb. There had been a sound like the wind, then the sound of something dropping on the carpet, followed by a flowing of liquid. Emiko gasped and I looked. Gold eyes widen and a horrible pain starts slicing at the remainder of my wing. Kosuke holds a silver katana with etchings decorating its dripping blade. His knuckles fist white around the plain brown handle. He looks sick.

I growl long and deep. My chains are pulled violently and I'm slung off my Niwa victim, landing on my back. I grit, tasting the blood still covering my lips. The old Niwa comes near me with the same sealing item from earlier. I strike at him with my left wing and miss horribly. He tries to get closer with a determined expression etched on his weather worn features, only to be disappointed as my wing continually strikes, holding him effectively back.

Emiko's whimper pulls my attention down. Kosuke is busy mending her neck, but he'll be hard pressed to correct the damage I've done to the muscles. Blood loss is going to be a bad factor as well.

The old one comes close again, seemingly thinking I'm too distracted to be paying him much attention. Fatal error. I strike with deadly force. His face shows the instant he realizes this ones going to hit. It's one of disbelief and understanding all in one. The sound of a body slamming echoes.

"Papa!" Terror fills her shout.

_One, possibly two, down._

Kosuke's frame begins shaking. Fury stings the atmosphere. He gets up, leaving his wife for the moment and walks around to where the old one fell without further movement, picking up the sealing circle there. He walks close to me. I narrow my eyes, daring him to try what I see reflecting in his fury filled gaze.

He raises his free hand first. With my sight I see threads of power, not magic, but power, coming for me. The threads wrap around me, becoming invisible upon contact. Lightning races through my system, burning tracks under my skin and I scream. It becomes too much in too short an amount of time. The furious lightning seems to bundle itself to the tip of my ruined wing, creating an agonizing pain that can't be ignored.

It suddenly stops. Like a plug being pulled, the pain drains away fast. I'm left trembling and gasping. Sight comes in blurry, but I can still make out Kosuke hovering above me. _What is he to use such a technique? _He lowers the circle to my chest and the heat in my bloodstream loses to it.

**-****)*(****-**


	17. Chapter 17

**-****)*(****-**

Satoshi's POV 

It felt as if I was rising to the top of a body of water, twisting and turning as the pressure eased away. It was happening so quickly. Breaking into consciousness never happened this fast. _Please let everyone be alive, if not alright._

Unlike any time before, I find myself suddenly in control, jarred from the force of Krad's departure. A sort of snap happens in the process, feeling like a rubber band popping in the middle of my brain. I cry out. The power of the charm a second time constricts, and a sensation of malformed limbs batter at me on my upper torso. Krad had been thrown back into our consciousness so fast that his wings hadn't even had time to fully recede.

I cry again as pain breathes into what could be my right arm if only it wasn't for the fact that it was set further than it should be. Two things go through my mind at once. One being that if the seal has been placed back on me, then Krad has not totally won against the Niwas. And, two being the question of why have Krad's wings not already disappeared. I'm certainly not keeping them out. Has the charm sealed my form already?

I shut my mouth into a clenched scream, trying futilely to stop the screaming/shouting mixture. I'm dimly aware of someone nearby and that's only thanks to Krad's sharp senses still leading my normal ones. Something lifts off my chest, uncoiling the constriction. An untamed numbness still flows down somewhere on my right, but it's tolerable for the most part. The wing must have tried shrinking away already only to end up healing partially into the skin instead.

I open an eye to see who all is nearby. Kosuke's intense expression is the first thing I see. It makes me smile through my panting and shaking as my heart races from all the chaos. If Kosuke is alive, then the others should be, too.

"Kosuke, let me see him," Emiko says from my immediate right. I start relaxing after this. Things must be alright. Something binding me pulls and something else flops to my left. I jump as it causes a foreign sensation to reach down my respective shoulder blade. I scowl after realizing what it is. I also realize I'm being held with chains, and if the constant draining is anything to go by they're made of silver. Good choice.

"Careful, I'm not sure who's in control yet," Kosuke says. I try to speak to reassure him, but my throat refuses. Emiko speaks up.

"I'm sure I know who is." A cloth comes to my mouth, wiping away a coating of something I didn't know was there. I open my eyes that had at some point closed to look at her in confusion. She smiles.

"See? His eyes are blue and so much more friendlier," she says and goes to wiping my neck and chest, making me squirm. My throat still refused to voice any possible protests on my behalf. Kosuke's eyes soften a fraction before he heads over to another part of the living room.

"Hold on, I've got to get this off of you... There, all done." She puts the rag by her side so I can't see it and what is on it, but I do see the hastily applied bandage on her neck. It is big and covers a great deal of skin on the right side. It is also stained with dotted blood. Guilt shoots through me. I'd let that happen. Krad finally had absolute control over me and this had happened. This is why I feared getting close to anyone. Now what was I going to do?

"Now, let me see about getting you out of these chains." As she bent close my sight fell to her blood plastered shirt. The muscles in my eyes contract considerably as they widen.

"What happened?" I croak out, tasting something familiar and yet indistinguishable on my tongue. She doesn't hesitate in removing the chains while she answers.

"Just the usual with Krad," she says, then raises back up to speak to Kosuke. "How is papa, Kosuke?" Some shuffling is heard, then a grunt before he replies.

"I'm not sure. For the most part I think he might just have a few fractures, but..." he pauses, clearly changing what he was going to say. "I'll need your help soon," he finishes quickly.

Dread comes on that note. Emiko sucks in a steadying breath and leans towards me with a forced look of optimism.

"He'll be fine, no worries," she says. Trying to convince herself with these words was not going to convince me. I roll to my left, right on top of a large and somewhat withered white wing. Once I have more time, I'll have to get rid of these vile things.

"Satoshi!" she says, sounding for all the world like I'm doing something wrong. Which I had... earlier along with Krad. "Don't you dare move!"

Momentarily having difficulty moving the right set of limbs, I sit up, pulling the wings, or wing and a half behind me. They make sitting upright a chore and constantly want to droop as I gain balance. Muscle control is tedious with them so shrunken in.

"Satoshi!" Next thing I know, I'm in her lap... again.

"Let me go, I've got to help!" I say, struggling to get off. She wraps me closer and I hear her heart beating in her chest. If I were Daisuke, I'd be blushing, but I'm not. Instead, I go quiet, knowing she's serious.

"I'm sorry, Satoshi." She shakes lightly as she says this, bewildering me. What could _she_ possibly be apologizing for?

"I'm sorry. I baited him. If it weren't for that, he'd have never gotten so..." She couldn't finish. It dawned on me that more happened here than I originally thought. Her shaking subsides, but tears begin falling in their place.

"This is more my fault than yours. When I saw into those cold eyes of his... They held nothing of you, Satoshi." Something else dawned on me. She was trying to protect me from something. I move my head to look at her. She returns my gaze with tears and hugs me. I'm helpless in the embrace. I've made myself stupid growing up without much human contact. What else was I suppose to do? To my credit I had no one who could stand against Krad.

The bandage of hers comes by my nose and her blood's scent covers my still sensitive receptors. An image flashes along the outskirts of my memories. A high-pitched scream comes back to me, triggering an elation; Krad's earlier elation. I tear loose out of her hold, fearing what I'd done.

"What did he do to you?" I demand without courtesy. My hands clench into the carpet fibers. She collects herself, then tries to take stern command of the situation.

"It'll heal. You should lie down. Do you understand that using the charm's powers for a second time today has probably caused problems?" She folds her arms, looking stern. I bristle at her half-ass answer and feathers ruffle. I glance at them.

"I hadn't noticed," I retort, meeting her gaze again. She gets put off track by this. It's as if she isn't use to being argued back to.

"I need to know," I speak in softer tones. "Please." She turns away from me and I take the opportunity to snatch the sloppily placed bandage off. Horror fills me. Thoughts and feelings collide to a point where everything blanks and I find my hand gripping tightly over my disgusting mouth. She gasps and covers the hideous wound; a depression in the shape of a bite mark, which is my bite mark. The surrounding skin was in the process of bruising lividly. I've never seen such evidence of a outlandishly violent act, even when handling the few cases given to me outside of my primary officer duties.

My stomach rolls in a threatening manner. It's then that I become aware of the fullness in it. I can't believe it! He went and drank from her! I know I won't be able to keep from throwing up.

"I'm sorry, so sorry, Emiko-" I gag before going go on, "-this is unforgivable."

"Satoshi?" she says concerned and reaches for me. I move and lose it. Heave after heave splashes my red-colored guilt all over the floor. The disgusting taste makes it to where I can't stop even after it's all up.

"Satoshi," Kosuke addresses me after having come close. I close my mouth, but the heaving motions don't stop as I go to look up at him.

"Come on, let's get you cleaned up," he says gently.

What's with these people? How can they treat me like I'm human after what has happened today? I don't stop him as he lifts me. Briefly, the thought of trying to get away from the house enters my mind. If it was possible I probably would. Instead, seeming of its own accord, the disfigured wing latches on to Kosuke in a sort of grip as I hold on to him. Immediately I lift the thing off him.

"I wish you could've been spared that," he says. I glance at him in question.

"It's like you've been punished for something you didn't do," he says gesturing with a nod towards the white limbs. I just look down, not really caring about the grotesque things. He's wrong in thinking this wasn't my fault. Even though I wasn't in control at the time, I should have been. Krad is a part of me and my responsibility to handle.

"Satoshi, ..." he says to my expressionless face. But, he doesn't know what else he can say.

**-.-**

Dark's POV 

I turn into Risa's hold, grabbing her before we're to fall. Her frightened saucers bore into my own. _This girl doesn't think before she leaps! _We both hear the collective gasps from around us, for the crowd had rushed in close creating a semi-circle around the cliff's edge. Her hands grip the back of my shirt for dear life after hearing the fearful sounds of the people.

I don't want to chance recovering from the fall while supporting another person. The waters, and more importantly the rocks below are too close to chance, albeit it we're up a good distance. The wind rushes as I fall backwards. She buries her face into my chest as I embrace her securely in my arms. She can't even scream for all her fear.

"Trust me," I say to her. She looks straight at me and I see some of her fear die down. The sparkles off the water reflect in her eyes by the time I make to grab the cliffs crumbly top with my legs, bending them to catch a hold. I also fling my wings above me, catching a hold on the cliff's side to hold us up. The hard surface scratches and bends some feathers, but my hold is steady and strong. The tricky part comes when trying to stay conscious after slamming against some rocks with the back of my head.

"My gosh!" someone cries. Others scream and mumble at the mishap.

"Dark! Are you alright?" Risa asks. I turn my pained expression into what can pass as a smile.

"Yeah, but that actually almost knocked me coo-coo." She looks at me with a small forced smile of her own. Putting jokes aside I call out.

"Hey! Some help here with the girl, please! And, no little girls to get in the way!" I add specifically addressing Risa's twin. Riku's got to be in hysterics right now and will only wind up in trouble herself if she tries to help. I'm surprised she hasn't already rushed to look over like some flustered mother hen. Risa tightens her hold on me. I look down at her and see the blue sky with some rain clouds building past her. She still has her school uniform on and the force of gravity isn't in her favor when considering a certain short skirt. I imagine anyone who looks down will see a good amount of … feminine garment on display.

"Dark! I trust you not them!" She buries her face into my chest again, wanting to hold on and embarrassed by the playful breezes lifting her skirt even more. She definitely feels the wardrobe problem, but doesn't want to voice it. Now, what can I do? I don't want to disrespect her by having all the males seeing her like this along with their cameras.

"Pardon me for this, Risa," I say while reaching for a feather. I take the sharp end a twine my fingers through the back end of her skirt, stabbing the feather into the fabric. She draws in a sharp intake of breath as my fingers can't help but brush against her. She almost lets go when I angle the feather to go through her panties to hold like a safety pin. At least this way she will be covered. And, not a moment too soon. It's then that everyone leans over above us. I just smile and Risa blushes like mad. Riku looks down at me like this whole incident is my fault. Two young men grab my legs to secure them and each extend a hand for Risa. I look back to her.

"Go on with them. I'll follow you up shortly." She glances at them apprehensively. "Let go and I'll turn you around if that makes you feel better." She blushes, making me think about what I'd said. "Nothing is showing, I promise." She blushes even harder.

"Alright, Dark. Hold on tight, okay?" she asks uncertainly. With her seeing the drop looming right past me it's no wonder why she is so shaky. I nod to her. She releases me very slowly at first, but after seeing that I have a tight grip on her, she lets go completely. I turn her over to face the two men, then push her up for the two to grab her reaching arms. It works, and she gets lifted back to safe ground. ~Phew~

Someone grabs my legs. I lift some to see who it is. Two different guys are trying to pull me up. That's nice of them. I raise an eyebrow at one who has a crop cut. He looks very familiar to me. Inner alarms warn me to watch him closely. The guy opposite; a seemingly nice man with no hidden agenda; extends a hand down to me. I take it gratefully. I'm glad not to have to fall to recover from this.

"Dark," the suspicious guy calls me. I respond with a glance until something plows into me also yelling my name. My abused side decides to give a painful throb.

"Dark! You saved my life again! I didn't mean to push us off the edge! My shoe caught and I'd tripped..."

"Um, Risa..." I tell her out the corner of my mouth in hushed tones. "Back away." She gives me a confused and somewhat hurt look until she notices the cameras all around us. She shrinks back a little then, bowing politely to me and leaves. I see a few reporters flock to her, wanting remarks on the save no doubt. But, there is one I don't trust. He's giving her an appraising look.

Today really has been one chaos episode after another.

The reporters move in. This is why I never stay behind after a heist. It's to avoid them, not so much the idiotic police. I back up wearily. Someone grabs my arm and jerks it behind me. Something clicks. I sweat drop. It's the guy with the crop cut that I didn't trust. Seems he's got handcuffs... Seems he's a cop... Great.

"Dark, you are under arrest," he says in the monotone that all cops possess. What is a cop doing out here? Could he have been called to blend in and monitor the gathering crowd earlier? There is something not right about this.

"Hey! Show some respect! He just saved my sister, you pig!" Both the cop and I turned to regard the huffed girl. The cop couldn't believe what he'd heard her call him. I couldn't believe that Riku had taken up for me.

"You heard the lady, are you still going to treat me so gruffly?" I address towards him.

"Riku, you're going to get in trouble! And, you're not helping!" Risa was making it out from the flock of reporters and grabbing for her feisty sister's shoulders. She walks on ahead of her, putting distance between her hot tempered twin.

"Sir, at least allow me to treat Dark's hurt side. I know a friend who lives very close by who'd be happy to help."

_She means Daisuke. _I don't let any tension show on my face. I also don't allow myself to imagine the horror of having her over at the house right now... along with the cop. It is too unlikely that the cop would even consider letting her do such a thing, anyway. So, I let it go with no worries, just taking the situation one pace at a time and trying to see if there are any other hidden cops within the crowd. It's a very likely possibility and I need to be prepared for breaking loose in the next few minutes. All in all, the moment is kind of enjoyable, so I use the time to gauge my surroundings. The cop tugs on my other hand and I let him cuff that one too.

"Sorry, but no," the cop responds. "I have to take him to the station now." Both Risa's and Riku's body language and sudden movements show their objection, but they hold their tongues knowing it's pointless to say anything more. I'm glad they do hold back. They can get into serious trouble for acting out further. I'm also glad they tried to help me. It makes me feel welcome, and I haven't felt that way in a while. Not outside of the Niwa home.

The crowd starts speaking objections all at once. Reporters are wanting a story, but mostly it is the regular civilians are who protest my arrest. I smile._ They really like me! _The cop throws his hands into the air and orders silence. Many don't listen. A few women even run up to us and start shouting in the guy's face. They're harmless, but he was still taken by surprise and I see him reach into his coat for a weapon.

_Why that idiot!_ I growl and snap a wing open, knocking him head over heels. Everything goes silent as the guy carefully gets back up. The hand that was grabbing whatever weapon he has on him lifted up empty.

"Don't you dare hurt them," I direct in a ired tone. His skin pales, but his eyes flash in anger. I hate cops! They always think they're in the right no matter what. Risa and Riku are nervous and I notice all eyes focus solely on me. Perhaps leaving now would be a good idea.

I turn my back on the useless cop and face the ocean once more, allowing the wind to tug at my wings as I open them. It feels so right for me to be able to do this; to fly. It's going to be strange with my hands cuffed behind me. Well, there is a first time for everything.

"By law you are not allowed to leave!" the cop shouts at my back. I sneer.

"What are you going to do exactly?" I ask him with a sarcastic chuckle. A huge whale splashes in the distance ahead of me, making me want to play around out there.

"It's not him that you need to watch for," another random guy states. Collective gasps happen around the crowd again. I turn around to see the problem. Another cop melts away from the people, coming forth with a rifle. This isn't right! If I remember the law, then because I don't carry a weapon they can't use one on me and my wings shouldn't count as one. He already has the weapon trained to my chest. _Well, so much for obeying the law, _I think with distaste.

"Are you really going to shoot me? Wouldn't that be against your own laws?" The guy shrugs his shoulders.

"If this thing carried bullets, then yes. But, it doesn't. I suggest you step away from the cliff. One hit and you won't be able to save yourself," he boasts. His fingers twitch along the trigger.

"No!" Risa races forward at the guy and his rifle. Riku runs, grabbing for her and misses.

"Risa!" she hollers after her.

"Stay back!" I warn them. The guy fires at me before the girls reach him, not wanting to chance me getting away by using the ensuing commotion from them. He turns with the rifle, aiming to hit Risa; the closest one; with the back of it. The dart with its fluffy red end zooms just past into open air as I tilt to the side and out of its direct path. Adrenaline hits and my sights set angrily to the scene ahead of me. The rifle's coming down fast and the girls have just realized what's about to happen. Risa flinches.

"Stop!" I shout. It comes out like a roar and I'm already running for them. Someone screams and that is all it took. A power tears out of me, reaching the guy's gun before it can move the last inch, freezing it in mid strike. Riku catches onto Risa while the man stares at his firearm like he'd never seen it before. It was glowing a deep purple, refusing to move at all in any direction. He lets go of it with an appalled yell.

"What the hell!" Everyone around us stares. Meanwhile, I've frozen in my tracks, unprepared for the power that had burst out of me. Breaking the power manually, the rifle falls harmlessly to the ground by both girls feet and I breathe again. The people start murmuring a second later, unable to comprehend what has just taken place. Not good. I catch the mentioning of devils among them. But, I can't just turn tail and leave now. The girls will be hauled to jail for sure for "obstructing justice". This is a nightmare!

"Girls! This way!" I motion them over with a sharp tilt of my head. Risa brightens and runs for me, but Riku just stands there.

"Riku!" her sister calls. "Come on!" Riku shakes her head firmly. _Tch!_

I run forward, meeting Risa halfway.

"Get on my back and hold on!" I bend so she can step up easily. "Put your legs through my arms to secure them!" She obeys quickly and I lift back up, running for Riku. She looks ready to bolt, but stays for me. Before I can reach her there is a shout by the cropped cop.

"Halt!" He sounds close. He must have blended back in with the people to get so near without me seeing. I stop and turn around, not wanting Risa exposed to him and whatever he may try. I see the taser coming too late. It's one of those shooting ones and it hits one wing and one leg. The connection comes to life and my muscles no longer follow my will. Everything spasms and Risa screams. It's as if something angry and hot is burning under my skin. Because the cuffs aren't letting my arms go, the spasms are causing the skin to tear and to bleed along my wrists. Finally, the connect dies and I slump to the ground. _These guys came prepared for something, but what? _My throbbing head won't let me figure it out further. Risa's head falls limply on my right shoulder. She had better be okay if that man doesn't want to die. It takes a moment before I can do anything at all.

I growl again and this time it sounds inhuman. If I'm not mistaken, in a few seconds the connection will automatically become live again. It's a way to keep criminals fully incapacitated while the police arrest them. I lean as much as I can to let Risa fall off. She couldn't handle a second shock for sure. Riku shouts for Risa.

Sure enough, the taser activates. I writhe into a roll, putting Risa a safe distance from my flailing. Wings arch up and slam the ground repeatedly. Cramps start coming on heavy, but my system is still being shocked, forcing more harsh movement. It feels like I'm tearing into pieces. _Tasers aren't suppose to be this powerful! They've cranked up the juice on me!_

It dies again. My limbs flop apathetically. A high-pitch ringing whines in my ears. It's so hot! Everything is so hot! If I can just knock one of the barbs out of me, then the third and supposing last shock won't work. The world shakes as I move what little I can and I kick weakly with my foot, finding that I'm almost paralyzed while trying to knock the barb out. Infuriated words start making it past the odd ringing in my head.

"You're killing him you over grown pig!"

"Since when did the law become so harsh!"

"You hit an innocent girl!"

"Couldn't y'all have left him alone? He saved two people today!"

To my left, Riku sobs. I drown out the loud protests to focus on her, wanting to turn towards her and soon find that I'm unable to so.

"Riku?" My voice is rough and barely over a whisper. It sounds like I'm blacking out. I can't let that happen, but I can't work my leg anymore to avoid the last shock. Riku goes quiet.

"Is Risa alright?"

"Of course she's not!" she sobs out.

"I meant is she still breathing. Is her heart beating okay? That shock could have thrown it off." She bends to check and I hear clothes rustle. Riku sighs with short lived relief, giving me my answer. A struggle ensues after.

"Let me go, you jerk!" Riku shouts. I hear grunting and see shadows play across from me. I try to turn again.

"Calm down, you've got to move away from here now," says a deep male voice. Another grabs the unresponsive Risa.

"Dark!" Riku yells with fear. I force my stuck limbs to move. Useless wings flop dejectedly and I grit at the horrible sensations running through me. Footsteps retreat fast along the grass beside me. None of my muscles want to move in the right order, but I keep trying till I manage to unsteadily push upright.

"You won't get up this time," the second cop says next me. "I don't know what you did to my rifle, but after that you're not classified as human in my book." He cocks his weapon and points it to my head. "Be glad I'm ending your misery early."

The people fade to the background and noise becomes irrelevant. Icy water pours through my veins as my focus is drawn to the gun's barrel. There is no time! No time before the next shock. No time to activate the right magics. There is just no time.

I bare my teeth in defiance, feeling something welling up. It's fury leaking into my heart. It pours into my sanity, daring me to let loose on this guy. Just this one, it says. Either that, or he's going to kill me along with Daisuke and the chance to keep the world safe from the Hikari artworks. I listen; tapping into my deeper self. You know, there is a reason why all the Hikari arts have an alternative beast form, but that's beside the point._ Daisuke's going to kill me for this._

My slits enlarge and I feel the first wave of magic wash over me, initiating the first phase of change. I see something pass in the man's glare. Was it curiosity? I leer at him, showing my sudden desire to spill his blood. The force of it rocks down to the my core, but I don't try containing it. It's a part of me that's long over due. In a second, it all becomes familiar to me as the power this part of myself unlocks comes rushing up. I didn't realized how much I'd missed it.

The man's gun hand shakes badly as his expression blanks. He drops immediately after. Whoa, this is too much if just that bit caused the hardened idiot of a cop to faint. I catch myself and reel everything back, or try to. The connection turns on for the third time and I go backwards, pounding into the ground over and over again. It's maddening agony. Too long passes before it stops its hideous zapping. So tired and so worn, but I can't stop dragging and digging my leg into what's now open dirt from my flailing. My wings follow as they angrily beat a tempo into the grass. It's a nice outlet for my frustration.

If I could have murdered, I would have. Which is why part of me was glad I was down. But, it was only of very small part of me. I look and take in the sight of people attacking the crop cop. Fists are flying and hateful shouts are ringing all around. If it wouldn't hurt, I'd laugh. That is until I feel the disturbance of Krad's magic. I struggle to get a hold and get up, but I can't properly. I fail time and again with uttered words. I push with my wings when I'm able, rolling myself to my stomach. I move everything to stand, but I either fall sideways, or land right back on my face. I finally try beating with my wings to takeoff, knowing that it's useless while being so close to the ground.

Krad's magic don't last long. They suddenly vanish and I instantly stop my futile struggles in trade for air. I might have passed out for a minute, cause the next thing I know people are encircled around, hovering over me. I can't bring myself to care. It takes too much energy and makes my headache worse.

"Is he dead?" some guy asks in a wheeze. He must have been fighting hard.

"I don't see any movement," an older lady answers. Some orange-haired teenager decides to poke a wing.

"Oww," I moan. It'd hurt. The soreness had resonated outwards to every part of my body.

"He's alive!"

"Get a medic!"

"I've got a medical license, let me see him!"

Then Riku blabs, "I know someone who's close by that we can take him too! Hurry and pick him up!"

"Just leave me here. I'm happily resting... Ow." They work together to pick me up anyway and I hiss all the while. Little stabbing pains are at every point where they're touching. I shy away.

"Quit being a baby," Riku orders, standing next to my waist. It takes four people to finally hold me properly. One has me by the legs, another my shoulders and two others have one wing each. I jerk pitifully, still trying and failing to get loose.

"I can't go to anyone's house! I'm a thief remember? If I take something then you'll have to answer for it!"

She puts her hands on her hips. "If you take anything of Daisuke's you'll be personally knocked more out of reality than you already are!"

"I said I'm not going! Where's a decent cop when you need one?" My pitiful jerkings turn into all out struggles thanks to what little of my strength returns. Finally, they're forced to let me go. Thankfully they set me on the ground instead of letting me fall.

"Baby," Riku accuses while smiling. I glare at her.

"What are you smiling about?" I ask. She quickly casts it upside-down.

"I'm not." She looks away. "I'm just glad you aren't dead. You look fried, though."

"Riku, stop picking on him!" Risa cries from the arms of a teenager. It was the same reporter boy who'd given her the once over earlier. I don't like him. He looks too happy to be holding her. I check his hands to make sure he's not touching anywhere inappropriately.

"Stay out of this, Risa!" Riku shouts back.

My head hurts...

"I'm going to sleep. Wake me later, okay?" With that, I lean back and shut my eyes, which have returned to their normal pupils. _Hmm... Risa really isn't afraid of me at all, is she? _I'm sure she'd noticed the difference up close like Emiko did when we'd fallen. She had to of.

On a different track, I need to see about getting home. If it wasn't so bright here I could turn to shadow and race home that way... Providing I'd have the energy. Darn. I'm in need of help. I scan the crowd to see if any of the Niwas are present. They aren't, which means I have to get to the house and check on them pronto. _Alright, Dark, lets get it in gear._

"Dark?" Riku kneels next to me looking serious. "What's going on?" I return my attention to her.

"What do you mean?"

She reaches her hand to my hair, then stops before she actually touches.

"Your hair is turning red," she gulps. It was nearly back to Daisuke's cut. Did she recognize it? I felt the shrinking then.

"Oh, shit!" I cower into my wings, engulfing my entire body. Riku tries to open the clamped feathers to see in.

"What are you hiding?" I hear her right by my ear.

"Cool! A secret identity, eh?" one reporter says. "Let's get a shot of that, Mike!" I close the black feathers into even more of a shield.

"Leave him alone! If he doesn't want you to see, then don't look!" Risa shouts to all. I'm happy at least one person respects my wishes.

"Niwa?" Riku's hand presses past clamped feathers and close to my face in the darkness. Her call causes my heart to nearly stop. I don't dare breathe; waiting and wanting the moment to pass by. Her hand hesitates in doubt. I breathe out shakily and she jumps, feeling it breeze through her fingers. I cringe when she pushes deeper through my feathers and touches my cheek.

"Riku! Stop it!" Risa calls out.

"I won't! I thought I saw Niwa!" Riku wasn't thinking rationally. If Daisuke's exposed here, then the whole world's going to know. Her fingers trail my cheek, then my nose. She reaches up to my hair and checks the spikes. Her hand shakes badly when she gently comes down to my lips. She caresses the lower one before pulling her hand out. I'm shaking badly, too. I'm feeling like a deer caught in a set of headlights.

Her hands frantically begin to pull at my wings, scaring me into next Tuesday. I roll on my opposite side to keep her at bay. She straddles me and finds where my two wings come together, pulling with her weight wholly against one side. I roll again, trying to flip her off, but she holds on with strong thighs. Curse the fact that she's into sports!

"Riku!" Risa shouts at her sister's behavior.

_Will no one stop her? _No, cause they all want to see. Light seeps in from a crack she creates and she quickly places a shoulder in to keep it prompt open. I change tactic fast, opening my wings enough for her to fall through, closing them tightly after she does. She lets out a startled noise against my chest. Before she knows exactly whats happened, I turn again, releasing her at the same time. She rolls out and I close right back up. She turns around, huffed from the indignity of practically being shoved and embarrassed from the close contact of a second ago.

"Darn you!" She persists by pouncing on me and trying all over again. I hear tears in her erratic efforts.

"Riku, please stop," I call out quietly, sounding like none other than Daisuke. She instantly stops.

"Let me see your face," she says to me, placing hers on my outer most feathers. She starts crying, making my heart break. Does she hate me that much? Is it so bad she honestly can't stand thinking I'm Daisuke? Which I am... in a way. I relinquish, opening just a little. I shouldn't be doing this for her and Daisuke's sake, but it's hurting me. She feels the small movement and reacts. Her face comes an inch from my own, her brown eyes assess me up and down, then she pulls back without a word. The look on her face tells me everything. I force magic through Daisuke's form; it's always more difficult to use when I'm like this.

"Riku," I say to get her attention. Her gaze jumps back to my eyes.

"Forget this. You never saw me here, instead you saw Dark's form." I send it strongly into her. She resists admirably, being strong in both mind and heart. I also find it harder than normal to erase because of the very negative effect it's had on her. So many emotions are involved that I have to tweak them, and mine aren't making this any easier. I finally win, casting her into sleep. She leans sideways and falls limp. I wish I could hold her. _I'm so sorry, Riku._

"Everyone get back!" a man shouts. I jerk, knowing that voice. It's Kosuke! He rushes over and lifts me up. "You okay?" he whispers.

"No one saw me if that's what you mean. What about you?"

"Got a mask on. Don't worry, Emiko's got one of the secret doors open. What happened to Riku? Is she alright?"

"She'll be fine." He starts running. Many people protest.

"Hey!"

"Who do you think you are?"

"Dark! Do you know that guy?" Risa shouts with worry. All the voices quickly become distant. Kosuke is a fast runner. It makes the soreness come back ten-fold.

"Ow..."

"Okay, Dark, I'll let you go when we get into the trees. You're to make it to the hidden underground tunnel entrance, number nine," Kosuke puffs out.

"I can't," I simply state.

"Then this is going to be a lot harder," he simply states back.

"Yeah," I agree. The people that had decided to follow us were not that far behind.

**-****)*(****-**


	18. Chapter 18

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Dark's POV 

Kosuke's a good sprinter. The people following were having trouble keeping up, especially when he zigzagged passed a few trees. His evasive tactics through them were something to be proud of, even though I muttered vilely at how often they slung me around. Many oaths were shouted by the people as they promptly became confused and he started losing them. All the while I stay inside my feathery cocoon so as not to chance being spotted. The instant he's able, Kosuke turns sharply and skids into a crouch along side the ground. He hurriedly opens the heavy hidden hatch of the entrance and jumps inside. Dank air greets us, along with great pillows of cobwebs. This passage hasn't been used in approximately two-hundred years, if my memory serves correctly. It's a good five minutes before Kosuke slows in the dirty, winding tunnel. He wasn't tired like he should be, he'd just heard a small distressed sound that I couldn't help making.

"I'm sorry, Dark. We need to hurry-" he starts explaining.

"Don't mind me, I agree. Keep going," I tell him impatiently through my feathers; I'm still scrunched inside my cocoon. We hadn't stopped for such a simple thing as rearranging myself, even if it would prove more comfortable. He nods and continues on until we come to a split. The choices are simply left or right out of the constructed old stones. He hesitates in choosing.

"...Dark, do you remember which way to go?" he asks.

"Put me down and I'll check." He sets me down on my feet as I give With the signal to revert. The little fluff ball practically falls over my shoulder and into my open hand. The tips of his fur is scorched, and his spunk is completely gone. I cradle him in both hands to see one of the taser barbs stuck in him. It makes me want to hurt those so called cops all over again. They had no right in doing this, and won't ever have the nerve to do something like this again if I ever get a hold of them.

"Poor With," Kosuke says, while removing the realistic looking plastic covering his face. It had made him look like an older stranger. "Where is the other barb?"

"In my left calf," I tell him, looking down to it and noticing the striped pajamas on me again. He moves forward and picks up With from my tipsy hands.

"Let me get the barb from your leg and tote With until we get to the house," he says, guessing I couldn't do it on my own.

"Fine, just pull quick and move," I warn. He looks at me in wonder of the warning. Perhaps he thinks it might shock me again as he's going to pull it out, like some sort of failsafe measure. But without both ends being stuck in me to complete the connection, it can't run a current through. With and I are absolutely out of shocking danger.

"It's going to hurt," I explain for his benefit. "I don't want to kick you by reflex." We shuffle to the dust covered wall and I sit by it, not minding the grim off it.

"One question before I pull. This won't take a chunk of you with it, will it? Maybe we'd better wait?" I raise an eyebrow to him.

"Don't chicken out on me. With can't go back to being my wings and I'm off enough without having to worry about stumbling over the cord if I step wrong."

Kosuke bends to a single knee, looking as if he's thinking hard. He reaches for the piece sticking out of my pajama covered leg and grips it firmly. With obvious reluctance, he checks up to see if I'm ready.

"Go ahead," I assure him. He breathes out slowly, his nerve failing him quite horribly.

"The more I think, the more I don't like this idea anymore," he says. I sit up a little better against the wall and lean a hand to my outstretched leg.

"I'll do it. Move."

"No... I can do it. But, if these things take-"

"Then I'd rather get it over with," I deliberately cut his statement short. "It's better me than With, and besides that, I'd be relieved to have this thing out." A millisecond later, Kosuke yanks. He was right to fear. This most definitely wasn't standard taser equipment. The barb he'd pulled dangled from his fingers, along with long spider-like tendrils made from a silvery, metallic substance. It was covered and dripping red with good size pieces of flesh dotting along its few inches of length. How I did not feel all that stuck in there, I couldn't fathom. The first roll of pain was nearly lost in shock of both the unexpected yank and the wondering of the bizarre device. It certainly hits full force a few seconds later. Kosuke forgets my earlier warning of moving right after pulling, but I keep everything pretty much quiet; just sitting stiffly for a few seconds with my mouth hung open.

"Dark, we need to get back now!" he says in a scared rush. I shut both my eyes and my mouth, trying hard to collect myself from the knot that has formed in my throat. I hear cloth tearing beside me, then feel the pressure as Kosuke wraps the quarter-sized open flesh wound with a makeshift tourniquet. I blink over at him.

"Ow," is all I can say. The corners of his mouth turn upwards.

"Yeah, I bet." He finishes tying the cloth. "Now which way?" I lift a shaky hand to my forehead, wanting to ease the sickening pounding in it. Somehow, the answer rises past the depths of the migraine happening there.

"Right." I point unsteadily towards the right of the shadowed tunnel. Which brings to mind something.

"Kosuke, how can you see down here at all? I'm having trouble, so how are you able?" Course, I was only having trouble because of being in Daisuke's form. My DNA did give him better than average senses, but they weren't nearly as strong as mine in my own form. Kosuke should be totally blind down here.

He makes to stand and wraps the cord still sticking from With and puts them neatly into a pocket.

"I'm listening more than seeing," he says, reaching to help me up. I decide more questions are in order for him soon, but not right now. My movements are hampered as I stand, making me lean heavily against him. The injured calf muscle doesn't want to work. He acts as a brace for me, helping me walk before I can manage the feat on my own. A twinge of fear laces me as I feel paralysis spreading steadily outwards from the wound. Not good.

"Those weird thread-like strings did something when you pulled them out," I say a bit shakily. "Let's get home."

**-.-**

The day had it in for everyone, Emiko thought. She'd spent time aiding Kosuke earlier with the bandaging of her father. Luckily his worse injuries were just a few cracked ribs, but he didn't need this in his old age! She feared all the repercussions that could come later from this. She'd hardily left his side since he'd been treated from all his other numerous injuries. They were mostly scrapes thank goodness, but there'd been a nice sized gash running along his chest diagonally. No doubt it was from where the hidden dewclaw in Krad's brutal wing had torn into him. Those things were still attached to Satoshi, but it only served in her mind to illustrate the vast differences between Krad and him. His frail body struggled with the partially retracted things.

When she wasn't busy watching her father she was busy fussing over the young Hikari. The pitiful boy was currently curled up on a rug, refusing to lie on the bed in her room. Kosuke had tried placing him on the bed at first, like any normal caring adult would, but Satoshi had crawled off with a thump to the floor. Deducing from what little he'd said, she guessed he felt he didn't deserve any comfort. If only she could show him how wrong he was in that conclusion. She'd have to leave him there for now, though. It wouldn't do to keep placing him back on the bed and turning around to having him thump back onto the floor. She doubted that he'd have even accepted the large fur rug he was on if it wasn't for the fact he'd fallen directly on it. You see, he couldn't move very well past the gravity naturally aiding him.

She was fidgety from all this. It didn't help that she was worried sick about her son. There were reporters outside, just waiting for a story. They wouldn't care exposing them to the harsh publicity of the world. When Kosuke got back with Dark and Daisuke in tow, she was going to kiss them all, then consider giving Dark a scolding for running off out there. Although, right now she had to focus on keeping an eye on her father and tending to Satoshi.

Emiko walked quietly across the carpet and into her room. Satoshi hadn't moved an inch. He was still lying on his left side, his back to everyone that would peer in. He looked like a fallen angel. She watched as his breathing came smoothly and in an timed manner. He was possibly asleep again, but the sliced right wing jerked up as pain tingled through it, showing that he was very much awake. She went to fetch more antibiotic with pain killer in it's solution. Emiko stepped back in and around into Satoshi's range of vision, unscrewing the cap on the tube. His eyes barely glance at her before quickly sliding away.

"I'm putting some medicine on that for you," she said gently while squeezing some onto the tips of her clean fingers. He put his face into the rug; a sign of wanting to get away from her. He shook his blue head clearly in a no.

"Yes," she said and grabbed the wing. It really was more of a husk than an actual limb. She could tell it had tried to shrink away, but had been unable to finish by a long shot. She hoped Satoshi's weakened system could provide enough nourishment for himself with these extra things weighing on him. She had to get him to eat something. He had absolutely nothing in his stomach now. Once she reached the fleshly part under all the feathers she could feel that the skin of it was almost mummified. It worried her.

Satoshi jumped and tried to pull the limb away, but it refused to do more than tug pitifully in her hands. She glopped a fair amount to the ugly red mass on the end, hearing pained hissing all the while. She finished up, wiping her hands on the washcloth from her pocket.

"You should eat something," she said softly, breaking the strained silence. It gained no response from him, but she wasn't going to give up so easily. "I'll bring broth for you." She got up to leave. Only then did Satoshi let himself tremble.

Full of motherly care, Emiko set the light broth to warm on the stove top. She stirred it in circles with a big ladle and thought about Kosuke. He was taking far too long getting back with Dark. She moved to look out a window. The crowd had moved and were talking hurriedly amongst themselves. She felt like fainting, but she wouldn't. Her faith was strong in her husband and son. They had to be okay! She had to admit, though, that if it wasn't for the fact that she had to stay put, she would have ran down the secret passage to find them by now. That's when she heard shuffling coming from the living room. They were back!

She cut off the stove and ran to where they had moved the television aside earlier and cut into the carpeting. The revealed wooden and steel trap door was closed. She opened it and leaned in to see down. Two sets of eyes blinked up at her, adjusting to the dim light that was beaming in from the covered windows. It was staggering to the two who'd been traveling underground for the last ten or so minutes. She nearly shouted for joy when she recognized the pair of crimson and her son's outline.

"Emiko," Kosuke got her attention. "I'm going to give Dark here a lift and have you pull him out, okay?" She nodded to him. _What is Dark doing in control of Daisuke's form?_ It brought on another worry as she moved to make ready.

"Be careful, his left leg's hurt." Emiko's breath hitched and she stopped preparing for the lift. She looked back down for the crimson, no longer see them because Dark wasn't looking up anymore.

"What happened?" She could hear the borderline hysteria in her own voice as it echoed slightly down to them. Crimson blinked up again, then shook from side to side, meaning he'd tell her when he made it up. Wouldn't take long, the drop wasn't much further down than the height of the average man.

"Alright, sit on my shoulder," Kosuke told Dark. She heard someone slide after that.

"Dark!" Kosuke yelped. Emiko could barely make out the two moving figures below.

"Sorry! I tripped! My other leg has fallen asleep," Dark mumbled in annoyance.

"Is it spreading?" Kosuke asked. Now Emiko desperately wanted them up with her. She had to know what was going on!

"We'll see when we get up there," Dark answered. Emiko leaned in, ready to grab for Dark's hands.

"Ready," she called down.

More shuffling, then Dark finally came into full view. She took in his appearance, quickly grabbing his open hands, lifting him up and out. His face was clammy and dirty, his hair frizzed as if fried, and he was wrapped in old cobwebs. When he toppled into her arms she saw the caked blood trail leading down his side, and fresher blood dampening his left pajama leg where a tied piece of shirt fit securely around it. She quickly lowered him to the floor. Kosuke was already hoisting himself up.

"What on Earth happened?" She turned like mad on both of them.

"There was two cops with serious weapons," Dark started explaining. Kosuke, having made it to a sitting position on the floor, raised a hand to silence him.

"We need to check your leg first, then you can explain."

"This can't wait! If that was by chance real police men, then Risa and Riku are going to be arrested!"

"Then you talk, I check," Emiko commanded while running for the heavy duty first aid kit. Dark noticed a bandage on her neck. It didn't look to be anything serious. There was no blood showing through anyway, so it was probably just a mild scratch from something. He would ask her about it later to be sure.

"Dark, you said the police were involved. Don't you realize what that means?" Kosuke inquired seriously.

"That's if they weren't frauds covering for something else. Forgive me, but my brain is fried right now, so tell me what's so obvious," Dark replied hotly.

"I say they were real police men who knew what they were dealing with. All the faces when I went outside were familiar, so it couldn't be an outside group of some sort. And, pretending to be the police would bring serious spotlights their way if by chance they were dealing with someone on the outside. This has to mean Kei Hiwatari's up to something. Those had to be his men. He's planning something, meaning he knows about Satoshi and the fact that he's here with us. Which also means that he more than likely has the missing Hikari medical book we're needing." Dark smacked himself.

"How could I not see that possibility? But, that means Risa and Riku could be arrested!" Dark pronounced with fear.

"I don't think Kei would waste effort in doing that."

"Kosuke, think. If Kei did arrest the girls, he'd be able to hold their lives against us. It'd be more ammunition in his favor if we challenge him. Which we _will_ do."

Kosuke considered this. It did sound likely the girls would be taken when put that way. He didn't want to risk them, but what could they do? He thought a bit longer, in which time Emiko came with that huge first aid kit. She bent beside her son and opened it, pulling on gloves and getting ready for just about anything.

"Leave this to me, Dark. I'll be sure to get the girls, but we're going to have some explaining to do to them," Kosuke said. Dark leaned away from the hovering Emiko.

"Wait! Give me a minute and I can handle it," he said.

"You're going nowhere!" Emiko burst out, then pulled off the makeshift tourniquet from around his leg. She put her fingers deftly through the bloody hole of the pajamas and rips it wide open, revealing a nasty, mangled wound.

"What about With? Shouldn't you help him first?" Dark asked. Kosuke proceeded to retrieve the creature from his pocket.

"No. And don't give me that look. Think of it this way, if I see what's going on here, With will have an easier time because I'll know what I'm dealing with," Emiko reasoned to him.

"In the mean time, I'm going to go find the girls. Hopefully the cops are still getting beaten to a bloody pulp." Kosuke rose and walked for the back door, leaving With lying on the couch. Dark grumbled, then snapped at Emiko who was digging something out of his leg.

"Hey!"

"Quiet, Dark! What's this?" she asked as she began pulling out what looked like a long piece of silver thread. They both watched, and Dark tried not to jump as she kept tugging the thing out of his raw meat. It was like having a blade drawn under your skin for all the pain it was causing him. Finally, after six inches, it came out and dangled freely from Emiko's gloved fingers. It reflected like metal on the parts that weren't completely covered in red. Dark was glad Daisuke wasn't up yet; he'd have only fainted again.

"Are anymore of those in there?" Dark asked her while the color drained from his face as he looked at the thing swinging limply from her hand.

"I will have to check." She set the strange string on a cloth. Dark decided he wanted a change in view and looked over for his familiar._ He must have this things in him too_, he figured. Daisuke's eyes turned a deeper crimson from Dark's inner rage.

"These people will pay," Emiko suddenly said in a menacing, dangerous tone. He focused back to her. She was reaching for a small flashlight from the kit and after switching it on, flashed it inside his leg at something he couldn't see. She pulled a pair of tweezers and made to grab something inside him. Dark braced, but still jerked. She pulled away from the wound and Dark felt like a knife was trailing under his skin again.

"Not another one!" he nearly cried between clenched teeth. It was another six inches before it was freed.

"I don't know how many of these are in there, Dark. Darn it! I'm going to have to use some septic to stop the bleeding." Blood was welling up profusely now, spilling over in rapid drops onto the floor.

"No! You won't be able to see clearly with that powder coating it. Just wipe it and keep checking." If it wasn't for the numbness in the wound, he was sure he would have needed to bite something to keep quiet. But he was having trouble when it came to those threads.

"Only for a minute longer. I'm not sure how much you lost before hand and you already look bad enough."

"Thanks," he said with lowered spirits.

"Well, it's the truth."

"Humph!" Dark pouted.

"Be serious, I'm trying to concentrate."

"Fine. What happened to your neck? Was it Krad?" Emiko had to concentrate harder so as not to let on at how bad things really got. She was afraid Dark would get mad at Satoshi. Of course, that was an understatement.

"Yes, but as you can see, I'm fine. Hold still!"

"I'm trying!"

"Hmm?"

"What?"

"Some flesh is turning blue," she said worriedly.

"What?" He leaned in as much as he could to look. It was as if his inner flesh was covered in pin-sized, bruise-colored polka dots.

"That can't be good..."

"I have no idea what's going on, Dark." He went serious in thought.

"Hand me one of those threads," he demanded. Emiko obliged, untangling one from on top of the cloth. Dark took it between his fingers and wiped off the blood, studying it. He didn't think it was made of silver, and besides silver didn't evoke any allergic reaction, it just weakened him. He wasn't feeling any draining from this, course with its size he'd hardly feel anything at all from it. He rolled it between his fingers, applying some pressure. Something oozed out from the inside. It took a minute before there was enough of it to study on the tips of his fingers. It, too, was a silvery color; like mercury.

"I've been poisoned." Emiko alternated between disbelief and livid anger at the news.

"By what?" She forced herself to stay calm. Dark shook his head.

"I'm not sure." Emiko quickly resumed looking for more of the threads.

"Wait," Dark said, and tore the rest of the pajama leg off in one good yank. Faint blue lines were crossing up his leg, already touching upon his thighs. Emiko couldn't refrain from tears.

"Great, seems the threads travel under the skin," he remarked. Emiko's eyes went wide and fearful.

"Couldn't that just be from the poison?" she asked. Dark shook his head.

"No. The threads don't carry enough in them to effect a large area, but if they travel then there's a lot of damage they can do inside the body. Clever, I can't even feel them under there."

"Are you sure you're poisoned?"

"Yeah. It's nothing that will kill me ...yet. But, I'm not sure how toxic over time it will prove to- Don't look so worried!" Dark witnessed Emiko nearly tear a fingernail off. "This was meant to slow me down. Only if I'm not treated could it eventually kill me," he explains in a rush. "I'm more worried about the threads-"

"And, how are we going to treat it! We don't know what it is! And, if it's traveling... it's... going to... be..." Emiko broke down and couldn't finish.

"To every poison there's a cure. I simply have to go fetch it and the book from Kei Hiwatari and see about finding out what his plans are while I'm at it." It wouldn't be nearly as easy as he made it sound, but Emiko was losing it here.

"...Too... reckless..." she hiccuped. "You... don't know... how long y-you have."

"What else can I do?" he asked, mad at the situation. She casted her head down and dabbed at his wound, placing septic in and wrapping it. When she lifted her vision back up to him it was a clearly set gaze. She'd come to a decision.

"You rest, Kosuke and I have our ways," she said while giving him the you-better-listen-to-your-mother-right-now face.

"But-" She tightened the bandage threateningly, forestalling his protest. "Ow!" he whined.

"I said REST! THOSE THINGS WILL SPREAD QUICKER THE MORE YOU MOVE!"

"...Okay..." Dark blinked away from her, but couldn't readjust his eyes back to normal. They were currently stuck as little red circles. Fear... something in him feared his mother's wrath. He was sorely glad he wasn't Kei Hiwatari.

**-****)*(****-**


	19. Chapter 19

**-****)*(****-**

Dark's POV 

Emiko raced around like a mad bull. She had put me on the couch, then frantically started turning the room back to normal. Of course she insisted that I tell her everything that had happened since this morning while she worked. It made me crazy watching her as I sat there trying to talk. Her fast pace was reminding me of one of those DVD movies where someone suddenly sits on the fast forward button of the remote controller. Somehow listening to me, she puts everything away, glues the carpet back and replaces the large television on it, then cleans the soaked spots of blood with a hand held device I've never seen before. They easily vanished. Her energy was astounding; never faltering for an instant. She ran to her bedroom and I heard her shut the door gently. She ran back from the hall and I saw white feathers in her hands. She started picking them up from every corner in the room just as I summed up what all had happened outside. The only thing amiss now was me in my messed up pj's.

"Come on, lets get you upstairs to bath and change. No getting your left leg wet, but your side should be fine. We'll need to clean that salt out of it," Emiko says, rushing up to me. I flinch.

"Help me up, but I can bathe myself!" I sputter. The thought of being bathed sends an indignant flush beaming to my cheeks. Nothing tops being more humiliating than someone bathing you! Okay, maybe a few things do, but there's no way I'm telling what they are. Those things are better left forgotten.

"Fine. I'll be close if you need me. I'm going to straighten out your room and close the pit up there before Kosuke gets here with the girls. We won't have to tell them anything as long as Satoshi doesn't reveal himself. Which he won't," she tells me while dragging me up.

"How is the little Commander?" I ask. Some emotion crosses her face before quickly vanishing. Something was wrong, that much clearly showed, and she wasn't going to tell me. I didn't like it and I'm sure she felt it in the way that my posture stiffened.

"He's fine. You'll see him when you get out. Hmm... Maybe it's better for you to bathe in the bathroom down the hall. I'll go get you your clothes." It was obvious whatever was being kept from me was serious. Her not wanting to disclose the topic with me now proved that, even as her eyes guiltily wandered away from mine. But, I have Daisuke that I need to worry about right now. I wonder, though, how much more Satoshi can handle from Krad. We hobble to the bathroom in record time. Emiko leaves me on the opposite side of the door with the promise of warm clothes and cool drink when she returns.

"Just leave them by the door, I'm going to get into the tub now," I say. She nods.

"That would be good. We do need to be quick. Kosuke and the girls could be here at any minute." With that said, she was off. She had to be on a caffeine rush. Her setting example is the reason I never touch the stuff. If I was hyped up like her on a mission, I'd fail for sure. Typing codes in would be way out of the question with fingers shaking as badly as hers. I shut the door with a small snapping sound.

Stress unwinds its tense grip as I take in the peaceful decorations around me. The tiles are a nice pale peach color, and shells with pictures of timeless sea creatures twine neatly along the walls. It makes me very aware of how dirty I am as the clean décor contrasts greatly against me. I view the mirror in front of me, unsettled when I see Daisuke's form reflecting there. Normally nice spikes are up in all directions and I'm covered in dirt and blood with a few cobwebs thrown in for a finishing touch. I haven't looked this bad in a long, long time... or felt for that matter.

"Daisuke, I wish you'd wake up," I tell my reflection. Nothing passes on his link in our mind. I study his crimson eyes, willing him to wake up. He doesn't. Nothing of his spirit looks back at me from within the mirror. Why is he taking so long to wake up? Could he be brain dead? I shake my head fast.

"Daisuke, you can't be dead, I'd have felt it if you were. Please, wake up!" Nothing answers me and loneliness starts welling up inside, spilling into sadness. I'm not used to this feeling... I hate it. I can only hope he'll come to soon as I move slowly towards the tub. Water is already in it... I think this was meant for Satoshi. It's cold, but not nearly full, so I just run some pure hot water in it. The bathroom soon becomes steamy and I peel my pajama shirt away with a sigh. Only once I reach to do the same for my pants do I realize something. I'm in Daisuke's form, so this is not right. We always give one another respect and privacy. How else could we put up with each other? … Now what? Transforming is darn near impossible in my present condition, and besides that, it wouldn't be a good idea to speed up my heart rate with those things inside me.

This has got to be the stupidest dilemma ever. Can't give your own self a bath cause it's inappropriate to see. How comical. You can just see the laughter set in my stone carved expression.

"Daisuke, you have only a few seconds to take over before you lose your dignity," I warn out loud for all the good it'll do. I mentally start the count down, willing him to hear it and kick start with a shout. But, I don't hear him at all. I turn the water off and sit on the tub's edge, letting the count go into nothing. It was a stupid idea after all. Longing runs through me. I'd really wanted to hear his mental voice calling me, even if it was in embarrassed anger. … This is not going to feel right at all. Maybe if I just lean in and not take my clothes off...

"Dai-chan, I miss you." Suddenly, a little pulse beats at the back of my mind. It's familiar and warm. I latch on to it, folding into the recesses of our mind and rush towards it. Happiness and worry flow through me at the same time. It has to be him. Is he okay? What has kept him all this time?

**'Dark?'** His voice resonates in the black void, turning it into a brightly lit cavern. To me it looks like paradise; his presence causing the whole place to traverse to light-hearted gold. I burst forward faster, wings unfurl in my haste and I flap.

'Daisuke!' I yell and his form comes together out of the sunlight. He looks over, surprised by me. I rush even more until I have a hold of him.

**'Dark, what happened?' **His sweet scent of mint and strawberries fills my nose as I nuzzle. He gives a startled sound. The last time I'd hugged him had been when Kosuke had forced that magical ring on me and Daisuke had finally come out from hiding. ...Come to think about it, he'd disappeared on me then...

'Daisuke, you don't remember?' I ask, hugging him. His arms come around me loosely, unsure of what to make of this situation. He hesitates as he tries to figure things out.

**'No. Last thing I remember was waking up for school this morning,' **he says. I can only breathe out in relief at his amnesia.

'**Did I fall back asleep?'**

'In a way...'

**'Dark? What happened? You're squeezing me!'**

'Haha! Take over and I'll clue you in. Be careful your left leg, it hurts.'

**-.-**

Satoshi's POV 

I'd almost fallen asleep for the innumerable time when pain shoots through Krad's wing _again_. I refuse to think of these things as mine. And, these _things_ are getting on my very last tightly strung nerves. If I can't recuperate before the seal wears off this time, Krad really will go insane on everyone. They might as well kill me if that happens again. I hiss and grab the thing as I hear someone else hissing from across the hall. I raise my head to listen curiously. I let the half-wing go and try raising up, to no avail. Stopping my struggles when more noises start up, Emiko comes rushing down the hall. Her footsteps are quick to stop outside the door.

"Everything alright in there?" she calls after tapping on the other door.

"Yeah, just got a shocker." Daisuke's voice responds.

_Good. He's okay. _

"Yeah? What happened?" Emiko asks.

"I looked in the mirror.." She can't help but chuckle at this.

"Do you need any help?" she volunteers.

"No, I'm fine." Then comes the sound of someone tripping.

"Whoa!" Is followed by a splash and a muttered, "Oops".

"Daisuke!" The knob on the other door is violently turned and opened.

"Mom!"

"Daisuke! You're still wearing your pajama pants! At least you kept your leg out."

"That's because I fell in! Turn around, I got it!" I try sitting up again, finding that I finally can, even if it is in an unsteady way. Emiko walks into the bathroom, her steps clacking lightly on the tile.

"Let me help you get those off before you get your leg all wet," she says. More splashing mayhem starts.

"I've got it! Mom! This is embarrassing!"

"Oh hush! I'm your mother, it's not like I've never seen before." More splashing, then a pause. I'm careful not to think during this part.

"MOM!" Daisuke shouts an instant later.

"Okay, okay. I'm leaving." Footsteps, then the door shuts. Another splash.

"Daisuke?"

"I'M FINE!"

Emiko laughs again, then my door opens and she comes in, giving me a surprised look.

"Satoshi, you should be resting," she says, walking towards me. "Well, since you're still up, I'll go get that broth I promised you." The thought of food turns my stomach repulsively. She comes close, bringing a hand to my forehead. I let her and she pulls away after a minute, apparently satisfied with my temperature.

"I wish you would stay on the bed, Satoshi. The sheets and all were just washed this morning."

I shake my head from side to side, looking at anything but her. This is the worst situation I've ever been in. Don't they see that the more help they give me the more Krad will come after them? He's a possessive freak and I'm losing what little control I have over him. This needs to end.

"Why?" she asks. I glance up to her, attempting to remember what she was talking about.

"Krad," I finally croak out the single explanation. She gives me a disapproving look and I turn away. She probably thinks I'm being an angst teenager. Her hands reaching under me awakens dozens of aches. I try to twist out of them.

"You will lay on this bed, eat some broth, then soak in a warm bath and finally sleep, do you understand? No arguments! This was not your fault and I won't have you acting like it was!" I grit my teeth and keep trying to pull away after she places me on top of the bed. I manage to reach over to the other side, already winded from the small exertion. She catches an ankle.

"Stop!" We shout at each other at the same time. I scramble harder and the half-wing scraps against the headboard. Indescribable pain rips through every nerve there, and for a few seconds I freeze. It's sensory overload and I shutdown. Emiko jumps fully on the bed, grabs my arm, rolls me to my back, and pins me down while I'm still caught in the trance.

"Would you quit and let me help?" I stare, drawn to her angry face, trying not to look where I know her neck is bandaged.

"You shouldn't help a monster. Take me home!" I demand. She shakes me.

"You're not the monster! Krad is!" she yells.

"Maybe so, but I'm losing control of him around you people! I may as well be the monster!" She lets up the tiniest fraction, coming to terms with what I said, or so I think.

"You don't understand. Well, you're not alone anymore, so get use to it. You. Stay." She points down to the bed. "If you move one inch, you will feel a mother's wrath. Krad won't compare, I promise." I'm not sure what expression I was wearing at this, but the crazy woman ruffled my hair, got up and left with a smile.

_Niwa, no wonder you're so strange._

**-.-**

Daisuke's POV 

"ACK-CHOO!"_ SPLASH!_

That was me sneezing, without the slightest hint of a forewarning, and ending up with my head deep underwater. I've had better days by far. I'm miserable by the time I get all the water collected out of my sinuses. A moment is taken to listen quietly for my mom, whom may be running back here now as if my life's in danger.

**'Someone's saying something bad about you.'**

'And how do you know that?' I continue where I left off washing my face. It's how come I was so unfortunately close to the water when I'd sneezed.

**'Because that's the only time that happens so unexpectedly.'**

'Well, whoever it could have been might have been thinking of you, only since I'm in control, I ended up getting the sneeze.'

**'I'm pretty sure I can sneeze in here, too.'**

'Don't you dare!'

**'…Fine. So, how you handling the pain?'**

I carefully get up and reach for the nearby fluffy towel, keeping weight off my left leg. Jeez! It hurts like angry bees on a third degree sunburn!

**'That's some analogy. Fairly close I'd say, but it's not nearly gruesome enough in description.'**

'You're not helping, Dark. Will you tell me what all these blue lines are under my skin?' I ask him, while grabbing my pajamas from outside. He'd already reminded me about school earlier, and that is when I'd remembered the incident with Hiwatari on my own. Dark told me he was alive _after _I'd first panicked, so I was kinda moody now. He's had to fill me in on the rest of the happenings after that, because I seriously can't remember a thing. Creepy though, I did see some of Dark's past before I went out of it. At least, I think it was before I went out of it... Everything is so vague...

** 'Earth to Daisuke!' **

'Huh?' I jump.

** 'That's some power you've got there; ignoring one's own thoughts. I said I'll tell you when you get up to your room.'**

'Why don't you tell me now? You're kind of freaking me out by not telling me.' I try brushing my hair with a spare comb. Some of its teeth break in a knot. _Better it than my scalp._ I rub the tender spot it left. 

**'Congratulations, **_**you've**_** already freaked me out more than once today.' **

"It really has been a weird day, huh?" Dark appears inside the mirror to answer.

**'Yes! Now hurry! Kosuke's going to be here with the girls soon and we need to be upstairs playing sick!'**

"What! Why play sick? I'm hurt, not sick."

**'I know, it's a cover. Think would you?'**

**-.-**

Satoshi's POV 

Regardless of what Emiko said, I do move. Once the shocking pain had left the wing, it became hard to stay still. More than likely it was from adrenaline being released. I found that if I didn't move too abruptly, I wouldn't get dizzy, but I was reacting to sunlight again. Good thing earlier clouds were rolling in heavily. Without a doubt it will pour down soon. I can't wait; I've always loved the rain. Course, getting home in it could present a problem... or it might help. I don't know anymore. All this has given me a major migraine.

'Krad, I know you can hear me even if you can't respond. I want you to know that you will pay for what you've done here today. One way or another I will find out what can be truly done about you, even if I have to raid my so-called father's home for information. This game ends.'

I withdraw from any further communication. He's sealed tightly. No hint of him comes from any direction within my mind. I wish this charm could stay imprinted on me forever, but it can't. It's wearing me down the longer I have it.

My eyes are automatically drawn to the door when I hear a shuffling sound moving beyond it. I've braced myself for Emiko by the time the knob turns, but it stops short and the door doesn't swing open. Instead, there's a rapid knock. There's only one person that could be, and I don't want him to see me. I pull my breath back in and move, grabbing for the bed.

"Hiwatari? Can I see you for a minute?" Daisuke speaks through the wooden door.

I slip and my reaching hand tangles somehow into the bedding covers. I slide down the side of the bed with a startled gasp, pulling everything down on top of me. One last pillow pelts me as Daisuke calls again.

"Hiwatari, are you okay?"

To be honest, I don't know how to respond to that. It's proving difficult to throw all of the gathered material off me. Like throwing off quicksand, the bedding just refuses to let go. At one point I lose my breath and think I will faint; it is so stifling mixed within it. It is getting rather hot, too.

"I'm coming in!" The door smoothly opens. I'm still buried, dimly noticing I've only managed to wrap myself up like an idiot. I stop flopping, choosing instead to listen to Niwa's quiet padding coming in from around the other side of the bed.

"Did he leave?" he whispers to himself.

Stretching myself out with less aggressive movements, the covers finally reveal a peep hole. The cooling air is such a welcome. Niwa walks closer to the bed. From his steps I can see a bad limp in his left leg. Thinking back, Emiko mentioned something in the bathroom about him at least keeping that leg out of the water. It must have a serious injury.

"Hiwatari?" he says louder.

If he comes much closer, he will see me. I suddenly don't want him too, humiliated, I think, by the fact of Krad's wings. My eyes take in the state underneath the bed. It's too stupid to act on, but the impulse to hide there is battering at me. I almost jump for it anyway as he takes another step closer. Only the logic telling me I won't fit with the wings stops me. Feeling like hitting something, I roll on my back and wait for Daisuke.

**-.-**

Daisuke's POV 

**'I've got a bad feeling,' **Dark says to me. His tone was low, like he was trying to keep quiet. It made me antsy.

The room is empty. The one window is closed and locked, so Hiwatari has to still be here.

'Dark, are you sure he's here?'

**'Yeah. Besides, where else would your mom put him?'**

I walk over to a corner of the bed, finally noting it's just a bare mattress.

'Where's the covers, then, if he's here?'

**'How should I know? He's here though, I can feel it... along with a bad vibe.'**

'Would you stop trying to scare me?'

**'I'm not trying to scare you.'**

'Yeah, right. You're still mad at me and you're trying to get even.'

I turn back towards the door, wanting to leave my parents bedroom. Whether I admit it or not, it is cold and ominous feeling, just like Dark was saying.

**'Daisuke, check under your foot,' **Dark says hurriedly, after I've barely moved.

Pausing at the odd command, I slowly lift my right foot up sideways, still keeping most of my weight on it. A white feather was gleaming in the muted light. My heart thudded painfully against my ribs, bringing adrenaline flooding into my system and taking my mind off the pain in my leg. The room spins, but not quickly enough as I turn to face what must be in the room with me. My mouth goes dry as I look left and right for Krad. Suddenly my injured leg gives out and I fall through the doorway.

**'Daisuke! Don't panic! Krad can't be out! I'd know, remember?'**

'Okay, okay!' No big monster was coming to get me as far as I could tell from the quietness of the place. 'It's your fault for scaring me so much!' I pat myself off just because I'm in a huff and stay sitting, looking around some more. That feather could have been a missed one from mom earlier, so I put a lid on my panic.

**'Um, Dai?'**

'W-what?' I ask, sounding breathy, even in my own head from nerves. Panic is close.

**'If you'd glance back under the bed, you'd see a pair of blue eyes looking at you – yes, right there. See them now?' **

"Hiwatari?" I ask out loud.

**'Well, doesn't your mood change fast?'**

I don't bother getting up only to have to bend again. I just sort of crawl without the use of my left leg, stopping to look under the bed at him. I never expected him to be on the floor... and wrapped either. He's radiating a very chilling calm. Inside, Dark is busting a gut in laughter.

"Do you want some help?" I ask. Glaring blue eyes that seem mad at me blink. I no longer see them as he keeps them shut in his cocooning blankets. Dark gets it together enough to link-speak.

**'Dai, he's practically praying for calm right now. I think you should let him be. Haha! I never expected to see him like this! I kind of feel sorry for the **_**genius**_**.'**

'Dark! Be nice!'

Suddenly, the blankets jerk and I hear a sneeze. Accusing blue eyes open at me.

**'Told you! The only time you sneeze so unexpectedly is when someone talks bad about you.'**

'Thank you for proving that. Now he blames me for causing it.'

**'Oh no, he doesn't. See that look? That was meant solely for me.'**

I blow out a breath. Dark was enjoying this, practically beaming. Without waiting for anything else to happen, I cling to the bed and pull myself up. My leg throbs painfully and I almost tilt over, only managing to right myself with the help of the bedpost. It's a long hobble around the king-sized bed. Covers and pillows await me on the other side. I place the pillows back on the bed, then start the process of unwinding the covers. How the heck had he done this? I finally get it loosened after a minute. Strangely, Hiwatari had not spoken a word. I wonder what's wrong.

"Niwa, I can get it from here, thanks," he speaks, startling me. I wasn't being afraid of him, but his voice sounded deeper than it should, or maybe it was just me. Perhaps it had just been too quiet. Even Dark hadn't said anything more.

"Alright," I answer and move away some.

**-)*(-**


	20. Chapter 20

**-****)*(****-**

Satoshi's POV 

I heard him back away and laid there just trying to collect myself. It wouldn't do to direct any anger Niwa's way. It was probably all Dark's idea to bring me here in the first place this morning. No... I'm not really all that mad at Dark. For the most part anyway. ...No, what has me bothered is the fear Niwa showed just a moment before. What will take place when he sees me? Will Dark be fearful enough to attack? Or will Niwa never trust me again? Either one would hurt, but I'd pick the first if it was a matter of choosing. But, it's not like he should really trust me.

"Hiwatari?" Niwa asks after a minute of silent and no movement on my part.

"Yes?" I ask back.

"Um... are you alright? You're not... trying to move, or anything and Dark isn't making any sense to me."

I move my head and upper torso out of the covers, still lying and keeping the wings hidden from view.

"What's he saying?" I don't really care, but conversation with Niwa is lessening my headache for some odd reason.

"I'm not sure how to put this..." I give him a second to respond, keeping my face cast neutral. It's harder than usual.

"He says something is different," Niwa finally drags out of his thoughts.

"What's different?" I ask in a tone that says I don't really care. Am I being too neutral? Dark might catch on to the act. I should have just ended the topic instead of issuing pointless drabble.

Niwa doesn't answer. Noticing, I glance up to him to see an assessing gaze. He blinks away, looking sideways, then down; clearly uncomfortable. Whatever Dark says makes him blush. He then braces himself and mutters, "I'm sorry" before bending down personally too close to my face. I blink quickly and look straight into unwavering crimson, not four inches from me. His breath plays across my face and a startled reaction comes forth.

"What are you doing?" I ask him none to lightly.

He brings a shaky hand to my face and touches. I feel warmth pool from the contact as he keeps staring into my eyes. Instead of pulling away, I notice the details of his face. He's worn and pale, having the clammy look of someone who's sick... or lost a lot of blood. I don't want to think about blood. Fighting a blushing fit, Niwa nods once to himself, or rather Dark, and pulls away. This all leaves me angered and slightly confused.

"I'm not Krad!" I shout. Niwa flinches like I'd hit him.

"Sorry, Dark wanted to check something. He says if Krad was influencing your actions in anyway, he'd have given himself away just then."

I'm still angry, but my face takes on a look of curiosity. Niwa gets the hint.

"Dark says that was something Krad couldn't stand." Niwa blushes again.

"Why?"

"Cause it was close contact. That usually only happened when one won against the other. Krad nor Dark can stand losing. He... wouldn't have been able to resist attacking me just then."

"Don't ever do that again!" He flinches, shocked as the long suppressed fury within pours out of me.

"What if Krad had attacked you?" I continue, boiling. "You think you could've stopped him? Besides, if you'd have asked, I would have told you the seal was placed back on me. You can see for yourself."

Niwa's vision automatically trails to the mark on my chest.

"What...? ...Oh.,." He gets a far away look in his eyes as Dark talks to him again.

"But, Dark says just because he's sealed right now doesn't mean your thought process isn't affected by him. Dark, I don't understand how that's possible," he accidentally says out loud.

I shrug and roll, attempting to keep the covers around me and drag myself up the bedside. I want no confrontation to expose me, so I'd rather get up here so he can leave peacefully. It's the perfect time to do this while Niwa is busily distracted by Dark. Unfortunately, I only make it to a standing position before attention comes my way again.

"Ah... Dark doesn't know either, he just suspects because somethings off. He can sense it. He says you should know what it is and he's getting teed off that you're hiding whatever it is."

At that moment, Emiko comes busting in with her presence through the doorway, along with a bowl in her hands. I inwardly groan. _I'm not hungry! _I just want her to leave me alone.

"Daisuke, what are you doing here? I was going to get you and take you upstairs in a minute," she says, mildly worried.

"I finished my bath quickly," he replies. Emiko hurries over and sets the bowl down on the dresser.

"Well, you need to be upstairs then. Let's go." Daisuke shakes his head.

"I want to stay here," he says. I groaned inwardly a second time, watching as he carefully lifts himself off the floor.

"What will we tell the girls when they get here and can't see their best friend because he's not in his bedroom sick, where he's suppose to be?"

"Take them to the kitchen so I can sneak up there first." Emiko beams at him.

"Spoken like a true phantom thief! Okay, you can help me then." From the look on his face I can tell he isn't very thrilled about the compliment. And, why did she give in so easily? She directs her gaze to me. "You, continue on up here," she says and pats the bed. _That's why she gave in so easily. _If she's wondering about the loss of covers, she isn't saying anything. She probably already knows what I'm doing with them after seeing me wrapped so securely.

I look at her blankly, trying to decide what to think of her, then lift up and on. Which is made difficult by the heavy material engulfing me. Thankfully, Niwa lets me accomplish this task on my own. He probably knows I am still mad at him. He follows me up a second later. Emiko looks so happy smiling at us. My resolve at distance wavers for an instant. I really do fear ever truly giving in and allowing too much comfort from another. I know I'll be helplessly lost in returning to the lonely prison inside myself. I guess Dark was right; Krad can influence my actions, even when he's sealed.

**-.-**

Daisuke's POV 

**'He is hiding something and I want to figure out what,' **Dark repeats again.

We're sitting on the bed now and I'm wishing for pain medication. Anything would do! And, I don't normally like relying on the stuff. But I just want the sensation of my leg getting eaten from the inside out to stop.

**'Dai, I know it's hurting. Let me take on more of the pain, okay?'**

'What do you mean?' I've never heard of doing such a thing.

**'It's where I take over just part of you. I can effectively block the pain signals and take them on myself.'**

'Aren't we sharing the pain equally now?'

**'Yes, but I'm asking to override your part of it.'**

It's kind of scary to know Dark has the power to do that. What else can he do?

'Dark, I can't ask you to deal with all the pain yourself.'

**'I won't take all the pain. You'll still need to know when you're putting too much pressure on it. I'll be fine, come on! This way you can keep your mind on Satoshi.'**

Dark knows just what tricks to pull to get me to agree to anything. Why does he always have to win?

'Fine, but if it gets too great, just let me know.'

**No worries, I got it. ...I'll just let you know if I have to let up some. And, do me a favor and still go easy on the leg?'**

'I will, but why shouldn't I just take some medicine so we can both have it easier?'

I can feel him shift around uncomfortably.

**'I don't like medication,' **he utters quietly.

'Awww! Dark, that's actually a normal fear.'

**'I don't fear medication! It just makes me feel strange. I don't like it.'**

'What about when we had that cold not long ago? We had to take medication then.'

**'YOU had too! And I was mad about that. Towa had already stuffed it down your throat before I even knew anything about it. If you remember, I stayed quiet almost the whole day afterwards.'**

'I thought you were just shutting yourself off from the play,' I say truthfully.

**'That was part of it...'**

'So, what happens to you?'

**'Why do you want to know?'**

'Don't you trust me, Dark?'

**'I've got most of the magics and you're asking if **_**I**_** trust **_**you**_**?'**

'Yeah. We both share, right? I was just curious to see if it was really affecting you so badly. How can you be allergic to something I'm not?'

**'I'm not allergic to anything you're not, I just get effected differently by them. Like if someone punched you verses me. I can take the hit better than you. Simple as that.'**

'Humph! Well, I'm glad I don't fight much.'

**'Same. Alright, I'll tell you in your room, okay? We should be helping, not sitting here in our own little world.'**

'Oh!'

I break away feeling stupid. How long was I spaced out?

**'Not long. Maybe a minute, or two. Emiko ran to get something from the kitchen.' **

'How is it that you can be so focused on things when I'm not?'

**'It's not that hard, Dai.'**

I drop the subject, not wanting to return to being spacey. It's odd Hiwatari hasn't spoken. Okay, not really too odd. I blink a few times to get rid of dryness. Wouldn't hurt to find a way to keep from looking so out of it every time I talk to Dark.

Hiwatari is lying back on most of the pillows, not looking anywhere near me. Guess he's mad. He does seem like he's troubled.

**'Oh, it's not liked he'd have anything to be troubled about,' **Dark says sarcastically.

'You sense somethings wrong and so do I, so there.'

"Hiwatari, are you doing any better since this morning?" I sweat drop at the look he gives me. He sighs and sits back up, the covers still around most of him. He must be cold.

"Yes, much better. I will need to go home soon, so I hope your mom doesn't expect me to stay much longer."

"Yeah, sorry about her. Once she thinks she can help-"

**'He's not allowed to leave, Daisuke.' **Dark's resolve broke no arguments. Just what was going on today?

Hiwatari shifts back to lay on the pillows, giving a bored sort of expression.

"What did Dark have to say?" he asks with exasperation. I laugh nervously.

"Um..." My first instinct is to say, "nothing", but it wouldn't be right to hide info concerning himself from him.

"He said you can't leave yet. I don't like this. You're not a prisoner, or anything... I think everyone's just worried about..." I stop when I see my words aren't helping the situation, even though they are true.

"Niwa-" He's cut off by my mom abruptly coming back into the room carrying a tray. It's brimming with food and glasses of water. At least I hope that's water and not more of that hydration fluid... Ick! Reaching over to retrieve the bowl so mom can place the tray down, Hiwatari seems to be a little sick from the sight. It's much worse once she sets it down close on the cleared nightstand.

"What's wrong?" I ask him.

"Satoshi, you're going to have to eat," my mom says. "Dai, give him that bowl of broth."

Handing the bowl over, he doesn't react at first, like he's not going to take it. But, surprisingly, he does, though none to happily. It doesn't look as if he's trying to give an attitude, it's more like he's very hesitant.

"Alright, help yourselves. I'll be close by if anyone needs me." And then my mom is gone.

"What's wrong?" I repeat to him. He shakes out of his thoughts and looks to me, then to the broth.

"Just not hungry."

I'm about to press on for more of an answer when he reaches for a spoon. He stirs the contents slowly, then pulls up for a taste.

**'If you watch him any closer I'm going to go nuts! Would you eat already?'**

Jumping, I reach for the neat little plate of my own food and pull the chopsticks apart. We eat in silence for a bit.

'Dark, why is he eating just broth?'

**'I guess because he's sick it's easier on his stomach.'**

'Oh.'

Hiwatari reaches for a glass and winces, dropping his bowl. By sheer instinct I've caught it. Being mostly full it does spill some. Thankfully it's not too hot. Setting everything down, I turn, finding him grabbing his right shoulder.

"I'm fine, don't look so frightened, Niwa. It's just a cramp," he tells me, straightening.

"You've gotten a lot paler." I notice and shift towards him.

**'Hey! Ouch! Too much on the leg!' **Dark shouts.

'Sorry!' I hadn't realized the pain was all but gone and shifted to approach at a different angle.

"Stay where you are and don't touch me," Hiwatari says stiffly.

"Why?" I ask, now hesitant.

He doesn't answer me, but now that my attention is drawn to his shoulders, there's something not right about the covers. It's like a jerk is spasming separate from them. I crook my head at the sight. He sees my interest and closes his eyes. Cold ice drops into my stomach. Barely daring, I grab for the covers, trying to remember to breathe properly. He lets me touch and gently they part a fraction, releasing a single white feather that floats down towards the bed. Clear as day, maniacal golden eyes play into my vision. _Krad!_

"I'm sorry," Hiwatari says softly.

I return with a shocked expression. He decides to get up and the covers drag from him. At first, all I see are lots of white feathers on his shoulder blades, until the covers finish dropping to the floor. One wing is so long it trails past the floor, looking somewhat smaller in some places than it should. It's not being held up right. It's as if there's little muscle control. The other is smaller and shaking very badly. Old fear wells up at the sight. I've only ever seen these things when my life was in danger.

"You can leave, Niwa." I swallow and tramp most of the fear down. _He really needs me right now._

"I'm staying." I hope my voice didn't sound as scared as I felt. He chuckles darkly.

"You sound like a broken record," he says in his calm manner. How is it that even though he's giving absolutely nothing away, I can feel despair in drowning forces?

Feathers ruffle softly as he walks towards the window. A cool breeze blows in my face a few seconds later, bringing me out of my stupor. Hiwatari leans on the sill, his head lying on his crossed arms as he watches the sky above. I've only just observed that Dark hasn't had anything to say about this.

'Dark?' I call to him.

**'Yeah?' **He sounds very strained and I figure out he's been focused elsewhere.

'Dark, are you okay? What's happening?' He doesn't answer right away, but he shifts somewhat.

**'…More than your leg is giving me trouble. Your system-' **he stops and makes a pained sound, immediately making me worry more. I'm feeling emotional overload, and it's about to hit an all time high. _Deep breaths. Have to get rid of the dizziness._

**'-Your system in being invaded. I can't hold out much longer, so find Emiko now.' **Dark sounded as if responding was taking too much effort. I'm torn between comforting Hiwatari and doing as told, as scared as I am of what must be going on inside me.

'Dark, what do you mean "invaded"?'

**'...Foreign objects entered your leg wound. They're what's causing the blue lines forming under your skin. They're also coursing through most of your body by now. I fear your organs are being attacked from the feel of things. Do you want too feel for yourself? Or will you go get Emiko... or rather call for her? DAI! DON'T FAINT NOW!'**

I couldn't take it! I just couldn't take it! Too much for one little day! Physical off the scale pain followed by pure shock and now more shock? NO! I can't stand the thought of something loose inside me, right under my skin, lurking, trying to kill me. Disgusting! Horrible! Oh my gosh! _Someone help! Get them OUT!_

**'DAISUKE! Listen to my voice, okay? Good. Now, breathe deep and put your head by your knees.' **

I listen and obey. It's all I can do as messed up as I am. A part of myself is mad. Hiwatari needs help too...

**'Good. Now, draw your attention away from what's going on. You need to only think about solving this problem. Right now, that means getting to your mother. Come on and get some feel back into your shaky feet and let's go. I prefer we get out of the room anyway.** **Dai?'**

'Y-yeah... I'm okay, give me a second.' I'd almost lost it. The hurried shuffling to my left hadn't even triggered a response in me.

"Niwa?" Rough hands grab my shoulders and push me back up.

"Mnn fine," I mutter.

Hiwatari somehow reaches way over to the tray and grabs a small towel, bringing it to my mouth.

"No you're not," he says and wipes my lips. "You're foaming at the mouth!"

"Huh...?" What was I suppose to tell him? And, what made me foam?

**'Daisuke, I said breathe. Your own panic made you foam, so calm down.'**

I become limp and out of it in Hiwatari's hold. He quickly places me in a lying position on the bed and jumps off. I've never seen him so worried. A small part of me is happy to see him caring, but a bigger part is upset that he has to deal with more trouble today. Out of nowhere, Dark says something that makes me think.

**'I'm sorry our existence brings you two so much trouble.'**

'It's not your fault.'

** 'In more ways than you know, it is.'**

"Daisuke!" Suddenly my mom is here, lifting me in her arms like a superhero.

"Daisuke! What happened, honey?" I feel her tilt as she sits on the bed, placing me in her lap to free one of her hands to check me over.

**'You might want to talk. I can't hold the pain much longer.'**

"I-in-in... I-" I shut my mouth after stuttering, and slowly try to begin again; no noise comes out. My breath leaves in a small whimper. Having my mom's worried face right above me isn't helping at all.

Instead of wasting more time to wait on me, she reaches and lifts my pajama leg, revealing the covered bandage. She places my hands around her, then frees her other hand and unties the gauze while I hold onto her lightly, keeping myself steady on her lap. I hear feathers close and realize I've shut my eyes, blocking most everything out. The bandage gets pulled away and Dark hisses. A twinge of pain makes it through on my end, but it isn't much. Poor Dark.

"Dai, let Dark speak," my mom says. _It's that bad._

"N-no."

"Daisuke, this is serious. If you start to lose it, I want Dark out here, understand?" I nod, ashamed.

"What do you feel?"

'Dark?'

**'The whole left leg is burning beyond belief. There is also a new pain digging into the left side. I'm not sure what's hit. My powers are too drained to search and aid. Tell her the threads are made of silver. My magic isn't having any effect on them whatsoever.'**

I relay the message, having never felt so vulnerable. What were the threads? Mom's face bore murderous in anger. Hiwatari stays out of sight, but close. Mom lifts my shirt up, showing more blue lines zagging across my side. I turn squeamish.

"Niwa, who did this?" Quiet fury smolders by my left leg. He bends, studying it.

"I... don't know." Which is true.

"Describe a face, I'll know," he says.

'Dark?'

**'It was two cops with cropped hair cuts. They've been to every heist of mine. Average height and build, with beady eyes the color murky brown. Now that I think about it, they could've been brothers. Oh! One had a paper thin scar on his right cheek. Dai, I can't hold this much longer. You're going to have a hard time, but don't freak when you feel what's happening, okay?'**

'Sure... Let up slowly, please. I might jump out of my skin if you don't.'

**'You'll be fine, Daisuke. I'm right here with you.'**

'Thanks, Dark.' I say with feeling. Then, I'm repeating what he said about the men. Hiwatari stiffens.

"I'll be back with some aspirin," mom says, laying me down.

**'Ugh.'**

"Mom? Dark doesn't want any. He says it makes him feel funny."

"Dark needs to rest then, and let the medicine work on you." She rushes out the room. I face Hiwatari, embarrassed by all my troubling actions.

"Those are two men that work directly under my father," he says, mostly busy thinking to himself.

**'Knew that already.'**

Slowly but surely my leg burns, amping up every few seconds. The open wound may as well have ants in it, and what feels like a stitch in my side starts throbbing. It's almost the most painful. Sweat breaks out across my forehead. I bite down on my tongue and try to keep breathing smoothly, focusing on battling the oncoming bitter pain. Someone dips the bed to my right and I turn that way, seeing Hiwatari climbing back up. Since when did he move to the other side? He lays down opposite from me and watches me as I watch him. Mom finally returns with a big white pill. I'm not sure what it is, but Dark really does not want it.

"Here you go, Dai." She hands me the pill with a glass from the tray and I take them.

'Dark, you can go to sleep if you want,' I tell him.

**'And leave you with all this? Nah, but I guarantee we'll both be out soon. That was Vicodin.' **

'…'

** 'My thoughts exactly. At least the pain will numb, that's a plus.'**

"Emiko! We have guests!" came my dad's voice through the front door.

"Satoshi, let me know if either of you need me," my mom says. She squeezes my hand in a reassuring way before leaving the room and shutting the door.I hear her greeting followed by both of the twins voices and smile. Guess I was already feeling dopey. All pain slips away nicely and the situation suddenly doesn't look so bad. I mean, so Hiwatari has wings – that are no doubt a hindrance – ...there maybe surgery options. I've got threads of something inside me, but there has to be a way to get them out. Hiwatari's dad is up to something... Big deal. Dark can take him! I chuckle out loud. But, I think I'm forgetting another problem.. All well, can't be important then, right?

'Dark, you're awfully quiet.' His presence has turned sluggish, while mine has become goofy.

**'With good reason. I hate medicine! It makes me tired and sleepy! At least the pain is gone. But, I think you've already went loopy. Give me a second, I'm right behind you, I promise.' **He doesn't sound very happy about that.

"Niwa," Hiwatari says. I look at him with glassy eyes. "My father won't win."

_I wonder what he means. _My eyes start to close on a will of their own. The surrounding objects around me fade away. _I should know what he means, right? _

Blue and white vie for attention in the remainder of my vision. The bed dips as he comes closer. All goes still rather quickly, and with the last bit of thought I link to Dark a last time.

'You. Still. ... Good...?' I can barely ask. All I hear is a small growl for an answer. Then I hear a whisper, either by my ear, or inside my head. I'm not sure where it sounded from, but it was Hiwatari's voice.

"You'd better wake up again."

**-****)*(****-**


	21. Chapter 21

**-****)*(****-**

Satoshi's POV 

I watched as the medicine took effect on Niwa. In my unprofessional opinion on the matter I'd have to say it worked on him too fast. Maybe there's something else at work inside his system? Again, I'm no expert on this. He appeared to calm greatly back into his normal happy self, even chuckling for no apparent reason. I have to wonder if he was already asleep when I told him that he'd better wake up again. I'm very worried. I'll have to find those men of my father's soon. When Emiko comes back I'll tell her where to start looking and how to get past a lot of my father's security. With some rest behind us my _father_ won't stand a chance. I just know tomorrow will be the end of him. In a non-killing way of course... unless he wants it that way. I'd better stop, I'm grinning evilly and that's just not right.

Chattering in the living room catches my attention. Sounds like the twins are having a dramatic discussion with Emiko. I can make out some of what they're saying, but just barely. Maybe my normal senses are starting to overpower Krad's. That would be good. These wings should go away at some point then. They begin discussing something about a feather being stuck on the back of one of the girls before Niwa captures my sight. He moves restlessly, caught in some kind of dream. Which is unusual when your sleep is drug induced.

"Pot să vă înţelegeţi? Opriţi acest lucru. Sunt aici numai pentru-," he says. It was the Romanian language again. If I'm not mistaken it should translate as, "Can you understand? Stop this. I'm only here for-". He stopped dream speaking, lost again in something. Is this Dark? It feels like Niwa's aura so... what is going on? Have the two become even closer entwined? Duh! The merging earlier! I could slap myself for being so stupid. Of course the two would see into one another more clearly. But, it seems as if something in Dark's past is still disturbing Niwa. No surprise there. As he becomes more distraught, his movements become more rapid. It's time to do something, or those objects are going to spread much faster inside him. And here I was hoping I could get the bigger picture by listening to him. I reach over.

"Niwa. Oi! Niwa!" I shake him urgently. He doesn't wake up, but he does stop the little thrashes. Satisfied, I draw away. He rolls to his side, facing me, showing a single tear tracking down a white nose. More disturbing feelings rush to the surface. I can't help grabbing the towel from earlier and wiping it away. I'm so stupid. I've already gotten so attached. There's going to be hell to pay later. I place the towel back near the tray, the food all but forgotten. I do find the water irresistible and pick up a full glass. It's empty by the time I set it down. The other one is Niwa's, but I'm still thirsty and he's asleep anyway. I drain that one too while looking over to check on him. He's resting peacefully with a steady rhythm moving his chest. Cute, his slightly damp locks are waving almost imperceptibly around the frame of his face. That red crimson could make any jewel envious, but his same colored eyes are what sparkles like one. … Where did _that_ come from? I'm not poetic.

I put the empty glass down and move to my side facing him. After all, I'm suppose to look out for him. Problem is I'm laying on the side with the hurt wing. I lay it flat out behind me and will my shoulder blade to ease it down. The other moves to cover part of my side, but mostly rests behind me as well. It bothers me. If it were to move even the slightest bit more it would hit the sore tip of the right one. I look to Niwa right in front of me, trying not to be upset with these things.

His relaxed face makes me relax a bit. I think a lot of his natural coloring has returned to his cheeks._ Good._ I time his breathing. _Normal._ I check his temperature. _Fair._ I feel for the pulse in his neck. _76 beats per minute. _Somewhat high for a resting pulse, especially with how athletic and healthy he is. I'll keep a close watch on him. He moves to snuggle more into his pillows. I take the opportunity to weasel a hand close to his chest. When he's done moving, my hand is against his heart so I can feel it beating. It's strong and he gathers my whole arm closer in sleep. I'd only intended this for in case I'd started drifting off that I would know if something went wrong. I quickly let my mind go blank, not wanting to spin from a bombardment of chaotic thoughts. It's futile. Even I have my limits... Which seem to be getting shorter and shorter as of late.

I'm brought to thinking of my slightly younger self, during the time in which I knew I'd lost my whole future, my whole being. I'd just steeled myself against any person. None would get close, none would get hurt and therefore neither would I. Knowing this, life continued, getting harder and harder. I was busy getting tougher and tougher to the point where I thought I was a totally different person after a while. That was okay with me. It's what was needed, so that made it necessary. I survived losing my mother, I survived Krad's first takeover, I survived my _father's_… no. He wasn't like he is today. I became a commander over the police just to capture Dark and end all this; all my life's worth. _That's when I met you, Niwa._

I look to the sleeping boy. His features deserve to be made into artworks... but not by me! I'd only end up cursing those into existence. That would be just what we needed. Curse my heritage.

Niwa, born an enemy to me by fate and I vice versa to him. It's all so strange that I consider him the best person I know. Being born into a family of thieves, I thought he'd be a hardened criminal, but that view quickly changed once in school. School – one of the best and worst times in all my life. I was shown and had to deal with so much more than I was used to. But, I was happy in my role as a normal teen. I was almost as happy as I was disturbed by all of it. Being surrounded by the very thing I was forced to turn away from hit me hard._ ...Enough of this reminiscing._

"Niwa, never lose your innocent personality like I did. Keep seeing just the positive things. I can't promise to protect you, but I can try. You're like the brother I never was privileged enough to have. It would be great if you could see me the same way. But, never do. I... you can't ever let your guard down." I don't know what prompted me too say all this to him. It reminds me of the time in the school nurse's office. I'm just glad he was deeply asleep both then and now. But, it must have went through to his subconscious, because he starts trying to wake up. I guess he thought something was wrong.

"We'll be fine, Hiwatari..." he says, laced with sleep, then tussles, attempting to lift his head up, but he can't even open an eye. I smile at his antics.

"Rest some more, Dai." It's the first time I've ever called him by his nickname. He almost smiles and moves closer to me. I embrace him, wrapping an arm across his shoulders. My eyes prick with unshed tears. _How long have I been holding them back? _I take in the soft, clean smell of his hair and feel comforted enough to let tears flow silently for awhile. Tons are removed from my chest and the relief is exhausting. I'm not sure how long passes when I first drift off, but soon Niwa is curled into me. Half asleep, I find a better position for the left wing; letting it drape over us like a blanket. In it's shelter I find out that feathers are very warm and soft. _Shelter? _What made me think like that? Sleep. I need sleep, that's all.

**-.-**

Two twin girls sat in the living room; one talkative, the other apparently more withdrawn. They appeared scuffed up, as in having-a-place-in-a-major-fight scuffed up, which they might very well have been. But, they weren't as bad off as Kosuke was. He was standing fairly easily, but he was as dirty as if he'd been rolling on the ground, which at some point he probably was. With was asleep in a lined basket off in the kitchen, a bandage in the shape of an x stuck on his hurt side. Emiko was lucky, she only had to give him a shot of morphine and make a small incision to get the barb out without pulling any of the metallic silver strings loose from it. There was no sign of any poisoning so he should be recovered by tomorrow, as fast has his healing abilities are.

"So, where is your group's other friend Saehara?" Emiko asked while sipping on her drink and trying not to fidget.

"Oh, he's down by the cliffs still. I think we left him at a bad time. He went down and couldn't get back up last we seen," Risa said with a tad of worry.

"It's his own fault. We told him not to go the second time after we'd already pulled him up," Riku said, not at all worried. Okay, that little side glance she did towards the windows said she was worried about him.

"Well, why don't we let him stay stranded out there a little longer to teach him a lesson," Emiko thought quickly. She didn't want Kosuke to have to go back out there so soon. Course, come to think of it, she could probably go out there this time. It's not like she had to hide, or anything.

"Yeah," Riku agreed.

"I don't know," Risa said.

"Okay, why don't I take you two girls up to Daisuke's bathroom to clean up? Kosuke," she said, directing towards him, "you should get cleaned up too. Let me know if you want help in treating any of those cuts." Upon closer look under all the dirt you could make out a black eye and various cuts and bruises. She'd get Kei back for those injuries to her husband as well, she thought with vengeance. Turning a smile on for the girls, she got up and waited for them to stand, escorting them up the stairs. They were blushing.

"What's wrong?"

They hesitated, not wanting to offend her kindness.

"Um," Riku started. "...We're just a little embarrassed to be using a boy's bathroom." Emiko laughed.

"No worries, girls. Daisuke doesn't leave anything in there. It's as clean as the day it was made. That boy has the best hygiene out of all of us put together! Now that's saying something since I'm always busy with something around here, especially now that Towa's on vacation." Emiko beamed proudly as they reached the top and entered Daisuke's room.

"Wow!" Risa said, surprised by the new look of the place.

"What is Niwa doing?" Riku asked, slightly horrified.

"You don't like it?" Emiko frowned. It had been her that had fixed the place.

"I love it!" Risa laughed. Riku just raised an eyebrow. The two clearly had very diverse tastes. Emiko didn't think the room was anything short of spectacular considering that she'd only had a few precious moments to spare up here.

All the feathers were gone, and the glass removed from the walls along with all debris that was previously lying on the floor. The place sparkled with cleanliness. The marks left in the walls from the glass were covered smooth with a quick dry sealant and then painted with polka dots of all different colors and sizes. There was no pattern to them. It almost gave the impression that the nearly empty room was over crowded, but in actuality the only items present inside the room were a single sleeping futon and a solitary canvas hanging on a wall. Catching their interests at the same time, the girls went over to inspect the painting.

The painting of Daisuke's was the only one to have survived the disaster of Krad. Why it was the only one and didn't even have a marked on it, Emiko couldn't say. But, she'd have to talk with her father about the feelings it gave off. It looked like Daisuke was accidentally putting magic into his artworks now. They did _not_ need to have an Hikari running around in the family.

"Oh wow!" Risa exclaimed. "I didn't know Niwa was so good! That's me right there! It looks just like a picture."

"Yeah!" said Riku, following her sister's pointing finger. "And, there's me with my bike walking beside you. And, that's Takeshi laughing at some joke and then there's Hiwatari!"

"He really captured our essence, didn't he? I can actually envision Hiwatari looking off at the windmills just like that. He's always so distant. Look! You can even make out his glasses!"

"Yeah. But, where's Niwa? I don't see him anywhere."

"Hmm... Maybe Niwa envisioned himself as a spectator and didn't paint himself into the picture." Riku gazed, impressed at her twin. She hadn't thought of that. But, the picture seemed incomplete somehow without Niwa in the group.

"It makes sense, doesn't it?" Risa asked her. "It is made from an aerial point of view."

"You're right, Risa," Riku said a little sadly. She kept studying the picture, hoping to find him in there somewhere. There were many paintings that could fool you at first glance. She followed the road that their painted selves were walking, seeing each individual stone of it, glancing over the grassy hill in the distance to where the windmills were almost rotating. He wasn't there. Recognizing the view, she was brought to a strange sense of excitement. It was exactly the same as the real road they sometimes walked down when they got the free chance. Course, Hiwatari never went with them on any of those occasions. It flooded her with joy that Daisuke apparently treasured those moments together as much as she did. Smiling, she looked to the colorful sky. She was sure now Daisuke had to have put himself in there somehow. It wouldn't have been right for him not to.

"I found something!" Risa suddenly brimmed with excitement. "Oh! Look!"

Her sister was viewing another part of the sky. Looking there, she saw what she'd mistaken for a bird the first time around. It was mostly in shadow, so it didn't have much of a shape, but it could be... no. What would Dark be doing in Daisuke's painting?

"It's Dark, isn't it?" Risa asked, clearly excited to find her idol in the painting.

"I don't know," Riku said, not liking the thought of Daisuke and Dark always being put together in most of their conversations now a days. It's been ever since that strange phenomenon with Daisuke's other painting; the one of the purest snow. She still couldn't get around that having just been a dream. It was all too real. And, then there was the fact that they'd ran the next day to the abandoned tower in the hills across town. They'd woken there again from a strange dream that had included Hiwatari and... Riku shivered from the memory of the White Thing. It so happened Hiwatari was found present later... not to mention a white feather on Risa.

"That is Dark," Risa said, throughly convinced. Emiko smiled from the doorway.

"I'm glad you like my little Dai's work so much," she said. "But, I believe that is just a big bird he's drawn. I'll go find something for you girls to change into. Go ahead and get cleaned up, okay?"

"Okay," the twins said, one more cheerful than the other about the news.

"I still say it's Dark." Risa turned first, heading for the other door. Riku watched as Emiko left, then glanced at the painting another time before following her pain of a sister.

**-.-**

Daisuke's POV 

It's been a while since I've rested so well. I snuggle deeper into my pillow, not wanting to wake up fully just yet. Everything is so warm and comforting. After that weird dream that I can't make heads or tails of, and after the mixed feel coming from Hiwatari sometime ago, it was a very good thing to simply drift peacefully. Restoring is a good way of putting it.

Something slides off me and I open my eyes to total startling darkness. It must be night time. From the sounds coming off the window, I'd say it's pelting rain outside.

"Niwa?" a soft, sleepy voice comes rumbling from right in front of me. A hand I didn't realize was wrapped within my arms opens to splay across my fast beating heart.

"You okay?" I now recognize Hiwatari's voice. It sounds so different when he's waking up.

"Uh huh." I nod my head, embarrassed. We seem to be very close to each other. This is new...

"We must've been asleep for awhile, it's already night," he says, moving for something. A light turns on a second later, blinding me. I throw my head further into the pillows and hit against his chest. _We really are close! _More blushing. I quickly roll onto my back. He just looks at me strangely, then stretches slowly. Only one piece of long white wing tip moves with him, the rest has disappeared. I smile, happy for him.

"Wonder what time it is," I say out loud.

"About midnight," Hiwatari answers. I raise my brows, wondering how he'd know that. He raises his left wrist to me, showing a wrist watch. I make an "o" with my mouth.

"How are you feeling?" I ask him. He easily gets off the bed, stifling a yawn.

"Mostly better. You?"

Sitting up to stretch, I check my leg. It was wrapped in a new bandage. There wasn't any pain in it, or my side.

"Guess I'm better, too."

"Be easy still. Your mom did come in here and give you a shot. That could be the reason you're not feeling anything." I nod to him. He walks over to the door, opens it and checks both ways before quietly making it across to the bathroom.

'Dark, you up?' He doesn't answer. I'm wondering whether to leave him be, or not when I feel him stirring.

**'Don't bother me, I'm sleeping,' ** he says grumpily.

'Sorry.'

I get up and go to the door. Only the light visible underneath the bathroom door is on out there. Sneaking into the kitchen shouldn't be a problem, right? Walking down the hall, I pause for any noise from Riku, or Risa. There's no sign of them while walking past the main room. I'm home free when I open the fridge. I almost tear as light reveals a huge collection of cooked foods. Many different plastic wrapped plates are set out for us to choose from. Sweet and sour chicken with rice and greens, tofu with stir-fry, even breakfast stuff and soups. It's heaven! I feel Dark perk up at the sight – still awake.

'What do you want to eat?' I ask him, smiling big.

**'I want it all! I'm ravished!'**

'Dark, I can't eat that much. Besides, how would we ever fly after all that?'

**'Hey! I have a high metabolism, thank you.'**

'So do I, but you're not eating that much. You can pick two.' I tell him.

** 'The chicken plate and clam chowder soup. Can we get bread with that?'**

'That's a weird choice, Dark. The sweet and sour will not taste good with clam chowder.' I make a yuck face.

**'Then eat one before the other.'**

'It'll still mix,' I argue, but reach for the stuff anyway and put them on the counter, grabbing for the loaf of bread.

'We need something for Hiwatari now.'

**'Chicken and dumpling soup?' **

'Sounds good.' I pull that out too and make to heat them all in the microwave. Good thing it's a quiet cooker. After waiting the alloted time, I get a tray and load everything onto it, plus two bottles of water and two small glasses of milk.

**'Butter?' **Dark asks.

'Fine.'

Making it back to the bedroom, I come across shower noises. After a few minutes they stop. All the food's laid out and waiting. Unfortunately, I can't wait to dig in. I'm on the soup by the time Hiwatari makes it back.

'Ick! Told you they wouldn't mix!'

**'Taste fine to me.' **Dark says with a grin.

I stop to look at Hiwatari entering, wearing new clothes that my mom must have set out for him; smart gray jeans with a collared plain white shirt. He does look like he's mostly better with his normal coloring back and the circles gone from under his eyes. His gait is the same as usual too, showing that he's no longer in any pain. Blue eyes glance to me and the food, then towards the nightstand where his is waiting separate.

**'I get the feeling he's still not hungry.'**

'Yeah, this isn't normal,' I link-speak, watching Hiwatari's face. 'We know he hasn't really eaten for over twenty-four hours now.'

He comes to sit towards the front of the bed and picks the bowl up anyway.

"If you want to pick something out for yourself, I will walk you to the kitchen," I offer.

"This will do. Thank you, Niwa," he says in that calm manner of his. Why do I feel like he's come to some conclusion in those few minutes in the shower? Is it the slightly different attitude? Is it good, or bad?

He eats slowly, moving each bite around in the bowl before finally finding the ability to chew. What could be wrong with him?

**'I don't know,' **Dark says. **'I'm going back to sleep.'**

'Hey, Dark? You never told me why you're so afraid of medicine.'

**'I'm not afraid! And, I told you. It makes me feel strange.'**

'Yeah and you were suppose to tell me more details.'

**'If I tell you, will you let me sleep?'**

'Yes.'

Dark takes a moment.

**'One thing most medicines cause is for me to talk in my sleep. I'm not sure why, but it happens almost every time. A dangerous thing if you're in public. Another thing most medications do is make me very twitchy, and I get nervous when I get twitchy. You know as well as me what it can cost us if we're not precise in our work. It also causes more problems, but I'm sleepy and want to sleep now.'**

'Okay... so about that dream awhile ago. Was that from you? I thought I heard you talking, but I'm not sure. I was out of it, too.'

** '…Yeah. About that, try not to think on it.'**

'Why?'

** 'Because you might unlock more of it while I'm asleep, what with morphine present in here. It's... kind of a bad memory for me.' **

_So that's what was in the shot Hiwatari said my mom gave me. _Why wasn't I more sleepy too, then? Isn't that what morphine does?

'Sorry, Dark. I didn't mean to see.'Dark breathes out.

**'I'm not hiding anything. I just don't want to remember, okay?'**

'I trust you. Night, Dark.'

**'Night, Daisuke. Get back to sleep soon and let me know when we're going to Kei's. We have a fight to win!' **His excitement bubbles before fading off to sleep. I, on the other hand, am not looking forward to it. I knew something like this was going to happen when Hiwatari said those men work directly under his father and my mom looked murderous. Suddenly, I wasn't hungry anymore.

Hiwatari was lying on his side, his finished bowl placed back on the nightstand, both the milk and water gone. Seriously, I need to pay more attention when talking to Dark. I never even felt the bed move from Hiwatari changing positions. Placing my stuff away, I lounge on the opposite side of him.

Weird we're here like this. I mean I never could have guessed what Hiwatari looked like just resting. His short hair was falling just past his eyes and onto the pillow. He blinked at me, and I was hit by a sudden question. He raised up to an arm.

"What?" he asks, giving me that no nonsense glare.

"I was just thinking," I say, mostly unfazed by him. It was his usual attitude. "You woke up pretty fast and clear headed. Do you still have low blood pressure?"

He wasn't expecting this question. Not sure what he was expecting, but this fact just dawned on him once I pointed it out.

"Yes, I still have it. ...I'm not sure how I awoke so quickly," he says and looks away.

"Alright. Why was your hand on my chest?" I look away this time. That had sounded so perverted... and accusing! Really should think things through before saying them!

"I was keeping check on your pulse. You grabbed my whole arm when I first touched you." I blush even more. That had sounded wrong, too! Payback, I guess. There's a slight lift to the corners of his lips and a small twinkle in his eyes. Typical Hiwatari; playing it smartly.

"Wait. Keeping check? Why?" I frown.

"Your resting pulse was too high for my liking. Your racing heart is what woke me up in the first place. What scared you?"

"I'm not use to waking up in pitch darkness. I also felt something shift off me," I mumble, embarrassed to the utmost degree.

"That was a wing. It moved by accident."

"Oh..." So, we'd slept like that? … I'll drop the subject, my face is hot enough already. Getting up, I decide to go ahead and get me a shower of my own.

**-.-**

Satoshi's POV 

I studied the gradual reddening of Niwa's face. Probably thanks to Dark he can't help but see what other meaning our words could have. I'd purposely played him with my first response, watching as he couldn't take it anymore and left. I sigh.

"How am I suppose to keep you away and tell you the truth at the same time?" I say out loud to myself. "You're the reason I woke so fast, Niwa. I was worried and probably only half asleep."

I listen as the shower turns on, comforted by more sounds of falling water. Glancing to the window shows nothing, but the rain outside is hitting with force. Glad I asked Emiko to shut it earlier. Apparently only I was under the impression it was going to rain, even with all the clouds outside.

"Mph!" I muffle a grunt. My back had let the wing draw in some more, sliding up inside the shirt. It's a pain I'm, only in a way, glad to have. The reason being I'm not more glad that the darn wing is almost gone is because it means the seal is weakening again, letting Krad's power disappear behind it. Thankfully, the charm still has a ways to go. The less I do, the more time I seem to have with it. Sleep has also strengthened me and that has added to my favor even more. I'm just not wanting this to fade anytime soon, and for good reason. The moment he can, Krad is going to let all he's got loose. I'll need to be far from the Niwas by then. And probably anyone else for that matter. I shouldn't take the chance of him acting out on innocent people just because he's in a blind rage.

Another good thing about this charm is that when Krad _can_ get out, he's going to be hampered somewhat. It can't be good for him to be continually suppressed. I wonder if the charm's powers let him sleep. I hope it doesn't. I hope he's been suffering ever since it was placed back on!

Suddenly, the shower goes quiet. I sit up, having been put on the alert. Not by the shower stopping, but of the sounds I hadn't caught before with it going. Two sets of footsteps were very quietly padding down our hallway. I heard them every so often. Quickly, I deduced they weren't of the Niwa family. If they were, then they wouldn't have been so amateurish. The lightness of the steps told me it was people whom were still small. That means only one thing. The twins were up snooping, probably after having heard the showers running.

_Niwa, you better be using your training. _He should have caught on to them slightly earlier than me. Maybe that's why the shower went off so soon. Quickly, I turn the lamp on the nightstand off and throw everything into total darkness. I get up by the door to lock it and find there's no lock built into the handle. _Tch! _I could've sworn the handle had a locking feature on it earlier. So instead I stay ready behind it in case it swings open. Course, experience has thought me to have a foot out some so you don't get your face smashed. Do it right and they just think it's a door stopper. If only there was a chair in here I could effectively make a barricade. Soon, I hear voices.

"Riku, I'm scared. Let's go back. There's no light on down here and if you were hearing something, then I don't want to find out what it was," Risa talks in a quivering, high-pitched voice.

"I will find out who it was. Everyone's asleep in the old man's room, so it wasn't them. And, Mrs. Emiko said Towa was on vacation and Daisuke was in the hospital with Hiwatari. That means someone's here who shouldn't be." Riku sounds scared too, but it hardily showing in her voice.

"Then why are we sneaking around and not waking everyone up?" Risa asks incredulously, sounding loud in the almost silence of their approaching footsteps.

"Sshhh! I'm not sneaking, I'm checking to be sure I actually heard something." Risa was not happy. I shake my head at their poor attempt at sneaking.

"You're looking for someone here and I'm smart enough to see that, Riku. You're looking to see if Dark is here, am I right? You know as well as I do that Daisuke has some relation with him and you're hoping to find him a separate being somewhere in this house!"

I go wide-eyed at this information. _The twins know! But, how? When? ...Wait... it's more like they just suspect. _Technically, with all the run ins we've had with them, it was bound to happen eventually. I hope Daisuke's got his act together over there and isn't standing around, paralyzed like a shocked idiot.

"Would you be quiet! I thought I heard something in the bathroom."

_ Oh no! _I'd heard it too, but I couldn't tell what it might have been. Should I divert their attention? _No, I'd more than likely just bring on more trouble. _And, even though Niwa is hurt, he's still better at getting away cleaner than I am. He also doesn't have to hide wings.

"How do you know it's a bathroom?" Risa asks as they go up to the other door.

"Because this is where I heard the shower noises coming from," Riku answers, turning the knob. I hear it twist open and wait for the lights to turn on with screams. Lights click on, but there are no screams.

"Nothing is here, Riku. Let's go."

"No, wait. Feel the humidity? Someone _was_ here! The mirror is kind of fogged, too. And, look! The shower is still wet!" Steps clacked as both twins raced to the shower's entrance.

"Well, no one is here now, Riku."

"Wait! There are a few more doors we've got to check out." The twins had decided sometime ago not to speak so quietly anymore.

"You check them! I'm going back upstairs. This place is creepy at night," Risa complains.

"You're not going back. Without me, you're too scared to," Riku says, sounding sure.

"Oh! If I hadn't come with you in the first place, you'd have never left upstairs!" Risa huffs.

"You don't know that!"

Catching me a bit off guard, the wing retracts some again and I let out a small sound, giving my exact position away.

"I know you heard that..." Riku said. They started walking cautiously over. I couldn't stay here now, I had to move. But, how could I get past them? And, why couldn't Riku be frightened off like a normal girl? I look in the direction of the window, unable to make it out in the blinding darkness. _Guess it's time to go home._

Moving over to it, I can feel the cool from the night and the rain and put a hand against it, trying to find the latch. As soon as I do there's a buzzing running through my body. It's laced with magic now! _Curses! _I reel my hand back, seeing that no matter how hard I pulled, that it is just not going to budge. _Darn Niwas! _

**'Satoshi, do something! They're heading your way!' **Dark's voice sounded off in my head as if from a distance, making me jump. I grab my head as a bad ringing starts. Dark had somehow used a mind-link to me through Krad, barely bypassing the charm's seal. Krad was not liking that. His rage was beginning to leak into me from whatever path Dark had used.

The handle turned on the door separating me from the twins, giving an audible metallic noise. Hatred boiled in me and I looked up without meaning to. One of my eyes become like Krad's, and in that I better see the smallish hand reaching for the light switch along the wall. Magic builds in my hand as it rushes up to aim at the door.

'NO, KRAD!'

He doesn't respond in any form, too lost is he in anger. I use what precious control I have left to search for the charms powers. They should still be active! Finding and tapping it, I feel I'm coming back into full control. Krad's power stops building, but I have to take all concentration to keep from firing what collected in my hand off. First thing I do is pull it back down and try to relax the magic. But, the more I do, the more my hand starts to glow outwards, trying to drop it. Riku's hand hesitates, having seen the glow within the room. Then, I see her reach and throw her hand along the wall to find the switch in a hurry. She does and light floods the room from the ceiling fan. Panic wells up, and as the door's shoved completely open, my body lights on fire. There's a sensation of pulling and tearing accompanying this, then everything lights in a blaze. I can still see the twins through all this and as the realization hits that I'm floating, I also observe I've done something similar yet opposite to Dark. _I've become like the light! _

Everything about me is a fine white light. Having no eyes, I can still see, or something like it at least. I can make out the area in a complete 360 degrees, being encircled by warmth and unhindered in any way. There's no way to fully explain the total amount of freedom by doing such a thing! Kind of scary...

I watch as the twins are fully blinded, and hardily able to control myself, I zip out of the room, right above their heads. In just the time it takes to blink, I've nearly teleported where the other Niwas are, flowing into a crack left open in the doorway. Holding the ability tamed is downright near impossible since I have no previous experience with it. It also seems that the darker the places I travel are, the harder it is to keep going. But, unable to stop, I just fill the room with light. Emiko and Kosuke awake immediately and try to understand what in the world is going on.

I can't speak like this and have no known way to tell them of my new predicament. I start becoming frightened as I feel myself wearing down, yet unable to do more than slow down. Even that was a totally different experience. It felt like I was going to blink out of existence rather than just pass out from overexertion. Kosuke is the first to be able to look up at my blinding self. I'm unsure of what I look like exactly, but I'm sure there isn't any solid form. Probably just a lot of light that seems to be revolving around the top part of the room. _I can't keep this up!_

"What in the-!" Kosuke yells and jumps up, even though he looks rough in an assortment of cuts and bruises. Suddenly Daisuke runs in, fully opening the door.

"Mom, Dad, that's Hiwatari!" he shouts, pointing up. "He's got to stop, or he's going to kill himself!" His voice cracks.

"How do we stop him?" Emiko asks, standing up with the others.

"Dark says the only way is to calm him down enough to allow him to return to his normal form! He can send some magic to help, but he says he needs a comforting presence more! We need to hurry, Dark already feels him losing it!"

"Straighten yourself and let Dark work," Emiko firmly says to Daisuke. Only a few seconds go by, but the room dims drastically and below they notice. Daisuke lifts his head up with purple eyes, a hand rising. New magic flows into me and I can feel it trying to pull at me. It hurts, and I nearly zoomed out of the room like an out of control wheel.

"Stop fighting me, Satoshi," Dark speaks through Daisuke. "Sometimes it hurts to return to being solid." His hand continues to weave through the air and constantly my light clashes, just unable to fully except becoming flesh and blood again.

"Emiko, some help please. I believe he was looking for your help when he came in here. You might have more luck than any of us," Dark says, looking off in her direction.

I barely feel anything besides the warmth of my own light, but normal sensation begins to return, along with the occasional pin pricks of pain. I'm coming back together, but all too slowly. I watch as the room becomes dimmer still, desperately trying to hold onto my barrings.

"Satoshi! Listen to me, okay? Pull this way some," Emiko says, while reaching a hand straight up towards me. I shift and try to touch her fingers. It was like I kept slipping.

"Satoshi! Focus on just her hand. Focus on seeing your own hand in hers and grab again. You can do that simple task, right?" Dark gripes.

I try again, laying a few wisps of light into her lifted hand and picturing them becoming my right hand. A smile breaks when they take the correct shape and grab hers. She smiles as well and wraps around my smaller hand. It feels awkward squeezing back into form, but I no longer resist it.

"Satoshi," Dark says, "picture yourself as if in a mirror. Emiko, slowly pull Satoshi down." He watches adamantly as Emiko does as told. It isn't difficult to picture myself as I had been only a minute before, but holding that image as your fading energy is being reformed to it is another story.

"Hold it together, Satoshi," Emiko says and tugs harder. I see my wrist forming and her other hand reaches up to wrap around that. My light was becoming denser. More wisps come together to form up to my elbow, finally changing from the white light to just a regular white shirt sleeve. Everything comes much faster after that. Emiko tugs one last time, and I feel the kick of a heart beating swiftly as I fall out of the flood of revolving white. The two of us land roughly to the floor in a clatter, me barely having time to refill lungs with air before being swiftly picked up by arms. It was a crying Emiko, burying into my shoulder. Daisuke runs over too, Dark having receded.

"Hiwatari!" he shouts and embraces me while I'm on my knees.

"Thank you. I didn't know how to get out of that," I tell him. Strange how having been out of your body brings focus on every individual motion, like it's something brand new. He smiles with shining eyes and I can't help laughing. Nothing like having a near-death experience to lighten the mood! Kosuke walks in from somewhere after this. Never knew he'd left the room.

"Um... well... the girls are now currently asleep upstairs. We should probably take the boys back to bed and have one of us watch over them from now on. I'll be first watch," he offers nicely.

"Are they okay, Dad?" Daisuke asks sternly. "I remember the island and what happened to Riku." Kosuke sweat drops and nods. Meanwhile, I'm about to nod off right where I am, exhausted again after all that. Daisuke glances at me and I see the wear of magic on him, too.

"I can make it," I tell him.

"Then, let's go back."

I stand up, away from Emiko and thank her, having found out I don't want to die today.

"Hush and trot off to bed now. You don't have to thank a mother for saving her child's life, do you? Well, consider this the same deal." She pulls me in for a hug and I let her, also letting the words of having a mother figure try to settle into my brain. She releases me quickly.

"Satoshi! Your wings are gone!" she exclaims and I notice she is right. I nod to her and then turn to walk away, happier than I've been in awhile. The world tilts some and I stomp a foot in front of me, trying to get my balance. Daisuke comes up beside me. Together, all on the way back, we alternate between holding one or the other up. It proves highly amusing.

**-****)*(****-**


	22. Chapter 22

**-****)*(****-**

Daisuke's POV 

Sunlight streams in and finally it rouses me enough to wake up. Turning my head, I blink open my eyes and scout for Hiwatari. He's still asleep on my left, right where he'd fallen on the bed last night. The sun is being blocked by me before it reaches him, so he is completely unfazed by it. I yawn and stretch well. Sure is nice not to be woken up by traps going off, or an alarm clock ringing for school. Course, I kind of miss it considering all that has taken place.

"Good, you're awake! Want breakfast?" Mom asks, sitting in a chair brought in from the kitchen. I sit up and nod to her.

"But, did you sleep?" I ask, concerned.

"Yes, and that's not to be worried about," she says and walks off. I lean back down on the soft pillows. _I probably should check on Riku and Miss Harada._

Getting up, I find my hurt leg is stiff and doesn't want to move and quickly fall over with a thump. Using the side of the bed to get back up works. Hiwatari hasn't moved a muscle, even with the sunlight now shining unrestrained on his face. It reminds me of last night, how scary it all was. The way Dark was talking... I thought Hiwatari wouldn't make it. I had no idea he could do such a thing. Turning into pure untethered light like that was a sight. He was so fast and bright at first, then went so dim in comparison. Must have been awful. It was like my mom had pulled him out of another dimension when he slowly materialized and fell. He was sheet white awhile after that, too.

I limp/hop to the bathroom and begin the new day, finding myself some new clothes in there – tan jeans with a checkered t-shirt. The designs aren't just lines of broad squares so it looks okay to me. Not my favorite, but it is nice. I'd have to ask mom how she kept pulling new clothes into existence for us.

So, according to what my dad said last night, the girls are in my room... Okay, never expected that. I wonder what they've gotten into. Dreading it, I hop up the stairs with the aid of the banister and knock on my own door.

"Come in," Risa says. I open the door.

"Hi, Miss Harada and Riku."

"Niwa!" They both shout in unison, and then they're up and hugging me. _Since when did I become so popular? And, what has happened to my room?_

"Oh, what happened to land you in the hospital?" Riku asks. I pull focus back to her.

"Um... m-my leg got hurt you see... They wanted me to stay overnight to keep an eye on me, that's all." I always get nervous when I have to lie. Riku always seems to be able to spot that, but she doesn't say anything this time.

"And, Hiwatari was there?" Risa asks. I nod to her.

"Why?"

"Because he wasn't feeling well yesterday and was in the same ward as me." That lie comes a bit easier. I hate lying though, it makes me feel dirty.

"But, why would he end up in the same ward? You two were in there for totally different reasons, right?" Riku asks. Darn! She barely misses anything.

"What's with all these questions?" They both give me looks.

"Because your place is haunted!" Risa nearly shouts.

"Risa!" Riku yells to her sister before turning to me. "We only think your house _may_ be haunted. We're just trying to prove, or disprove it."

"Huh? Don't be silly."_ Well, at least they didn't see Hiwatari. _They both turn red. Perhaps I was being too forward.

"We just want it to be a trick, not a reality," Riku says, casting a guilty look towards my house slippers.

"I wouldn't ever prank you." And, that was the truth.

"Sorry," she apologizes.

"It's okay. Let's go downstairs for breakfast." They nod to me and I turn to leave, having to be very careful going down the stairs.

"It really hurts, doesn't it, Niwa?" Risa inquires.

"Right now, I honestly can't feel it. It's just so stiff."

"Daisuke, there you are! Go back to bed and wait on breakfast!" mom scolds. _Wow, breakfast in bed! _I nod to her.

"See ya!" I say towards the twins. "Oh, wait. How is your butler taking you both being over here?"

"We talked to him yesterday and so did your dad. He was happier to have us over here rather than at home after all that. Something about being better protected. It was weird," Risa comments, "he would normally never let us do something like stay out all night. What will our parents think if they ever hear about this?"

"Hmm... That is strange. Well, I gotta go before mom clobbers me."

"Later!" They both reply in unison.

Making it to the bedroom isn't too bad, I'm getting used to hop/limping. Hiwatari is right where I'd left him. I get over, getting close and trip again with another thump.

"Ugh, face plant," I mutter to myself against the carpet. Thankfully the foot of the bed is near and able to lend a hand. He still hadn't moved. I was under the impression that he was a light sleeper even if it's hard for him to wake fully. Well usually anyway, if you don't count yesterday.

"Breakfast, Hiwatari," I say and shake his foot. Nothing happens. Another shake... nothing.

"Hiwatari?" I reach way over and shake a shoulder. No reaction. "Hiwatari! Come on!" I'm getting worried. He's just lying there. Having enough, I climb the bed next to him, placing a hand on his heart. It's beating so slow and faint... he really does have low blood pressure.

"I don't think it's suppose to be this hard to wake you. Low blood pressure or not, you woke so easily last time." Which was by feeling my heart beating rapidly. … Could it possibly work again? I've already got a quick heartbeat. It couldn't hurt to try, could it? Taking an unresisting arm, I place his cool finger tips right over my heart and wait. Again, nothing. _What's wrong! Could this be something of a side effect from last night? What if he doesn't ever wake up? _My chest constricts and I'm about to shout for my mom when his fingers twitch on my chest. His hand jumps to splay a palm like last time. He takes in the rapid beating and I see his face furrow.

"Niwa?" he asks huskily and slow, hardly over a whisper.

"Thank goodness! I thought you wouldn't wake up!" I hunch over in relief. He stirs with great effort, fighting off some invisible web it looks like. He stills the small, frustrated movements after a moment and takes a deep breath.

"You okay?" he asks, just like the night before if only a little weaker.

"Yeah. What about you?" He rolls to his back, lifting his other hand to his face, covering his closed eyelids.

"It's one of those days," he answers.

"What?" I ask, confused.

"It's one of those half an hour days where I can't... function..." he trails off.

"Huh?" I cock my head sideways.

"Give me thirty minutes," he slurs, "and my hand back please."

I jump, having forgotten about that and place his hand down beside him.

"Sorry."

"It's okay," he says more coherently. "I'm jumbled enough this morning without having your chaotic aura at my fingertips."

Frowning, I try studying his meaning.

"What do you mean "chaotic aura"?" I ask. He suddenly sits up, scaring me.

"I believe I still have twenty-nine of those minutes left, Niwa." Hiwatari is agitated.

"S-sorry!"

And, then my mom has to come through with our tray of food. Hard ice blue eyes glance to her clacking the heavy tray down on the nightstand. She smiles, backing out without a word. Hiwatari puts his head in his hands.

"Is it really that bad?" I ask the stupid question.

"You have no idea." His response is muffled.

"What's it like?" Another stupid question. His lifts out of his hands to glare at me.

"Sorry!" But, I start laughing immediately after saying it. Hiwatari is definitely his most unguarded upon waking up. His face is angered, yes, but his eyes can't fixate on anything properly and his lower lip is stuck in a slight pout. Besides being shocked every now and then this is the most readable expression I've ever seen on him. A hand gets put over my mouth, quieting my laughter.

"Niwa, please." His face is an inch from my own and very serious.

"Sorry," I say again, sobered. It sounded more like "Sawee".

**-.-**

Satoshi's POV 

As glad as I am to enjoy the view out on Niwa's balcony, I still can't help but long for the complete solitude of my own apartment. Yet, in a strange sort of way I'm getting used to all the noise and the chatter.

It had taken most of my morning to finish sketching the layout of my father's mansion. Myself, I know it's not practical to keep dangerous items stored in ones own living quarters, but my father's a very paranoid person. He trusts no one completely. Emiko took this information with glee, saying she now has a great opportunity to attack the man on the spot. All security measures were highlighted and loopholes were told so I left them alone to plan for tonight. Wouldn't be good for me to know exactly what their final plans are. Krad is still a very possible threat, that much was proven late last night.

So now I sit with my back against the wall watching a few groups go by here and there, craning their necks out towards the ocean. Lots of people are still very interested in the whales rumored to still be close. Admittedly I'm one of those people, but I have other priorities that lead. Namely, I need my own separate plan for tonights so called "raid" party. Honestly I'm looking forward to all this. Maybe that means I'm turning out to be an adrenaline junkie.

Those two cops that my father employed troubles me. I'm not very worried about them in the brains department, but their use in new technologies is good. Mostly the new technology that father deals in is known to be dangerous and potentially harmful to some of its users. The only reason those two idiots are given any of it is because they're one of the few who are foolish enough to try over half of it with no questions asked. But, then again... they have been known to effectively corner a few master criminals when it came to an all out fight. I want to say they were just lucky. Truly, those two understand nothing more than violence, but there could be something more to them.

I need to get to a computer and see about hacking and finding out more about these dangerous weapons. It's going to be a lot of work. Father is always careful not to leave behind anything easily traced. But, little does he know I have a few of his major passwords. That will help.

A bird landing on the railing in front of me brings me out of my musings. I glance to him as he turns a beady eye sideways expectantly at me. It's one of those seagulls.

"You've come to the wrong person, I never carry any snacks," I tell him. Strange... I'm talking to a bird. Course part of me does have a similarity with him. At least, I think it maybe a he. Animals have always been afraid of me, afraid of Krad rather and I've never gotten to be around most of them. Never bothered to learn much, either. What good would it do? It's not like I could choose to be a veterinarian or anything.

The bird comes to the edge of the rail and jumps down. I've decided to reel in my legs in case this bird decides he wants to peck. As amusing as it might be to that bird, if he does he's going to be whacked right out of his glossy gray feathers. He wobbles closer and closer. Why is nothing ever normal? Don't wild animals stay away from humans? Finally the bird makes it past to my side.

"Shoo." … That doesn't work. I lift a hand quickly and he still doesn't fly off. Instead, he lifts his beak and touches the underside of my hand in a curt tap. Doesn't hurt, but it's weird. Suddenly, Niwa comes through the giant window to the balcony.

"Hiwatari, I brought something- Oh, I see you've met one of them already."

The bird rushes up to Niwa's leg, wanting some of the bread slices that he's brought with him.

"Here you go. Take this and we can feed them." He hands over a few slices. I take them hesitantly, not sure whether I want more bird attention.

"Now, sometimes a lot of them will come out of nowhere. If that happens, break all of it into little pieces and throw it so it rains down on them and run back inside. They can really get into a frenzy!" he says cheerily.

Having no more patients, the present bird jumps up and grabs a whole slice from a distracted Niwa's hand and tries to fly with it. He doesn't make it far.

"Hey!" Niwa shouts, grabbing the dropped bread. "Manners!" He then proceeds by throwing it off into the air. It's not long before many others join in the free meal.

"Um... help?" he turns toward me and asks. Complying, I tear some off and arch it way overhead. The moves they show are spectacular. All the diving and whirling is astounding. I seriously hope Krad never gets a mind to try any of it. He can't even do a simple long dive right. I won't soon forget the pain of falling into water from some odd hundred feet high.

Soon, too many are coming too fast and Niwa starts to get nervous.

"Is this a good enough time to retreat?" I ask him. He nods.

"Get rid of it quick! Most of them won't mind flying into you for it," he warns.

"Does anyone have a computer I can use?"

"The basement has the only other one left. You can use that one, but my parents are going to want to bring it up here first." He keeps watching all the birds with increasing nervousness.

"You're wanting to go in now?" I ask the obvious. He nods again.

"I think that would be best."

Breaking the rest, I throw all of it and watch as they swarm. Niwa ducks back inside and I get up to follow him.

"With! No!" Niwa yells at the fluff ball that goes running past. He nearly collides into me in his haste to grab for him. Once With stops to look at all the birds I can see a slice of bread dangling from his mouth. He'd wanted to join in. The birds don't fail in noticing and start to frenzy his way. I move so Niwa can jump back out, but the birds are going to make it to With first.

"Shoo," I tell the birds quietly. This time I don't fail and every bird suddenly turns tail and flies away. With jumps to Niwa, tears in both their eyes from the thought of being bird food. They look over at me.

"Animals don't like me very much," I explain, then walk quietly through the window.

**-.-**

Daisuke's POV 

"Alright, Niwa, it's your turn to ask me for a truth," Riku says. I hesitate in thought. We're currently just passing the time away on the couch in the living room, waiting for any word from Hiwatari. He is researching in secret from the twins up in my room. We figure when he finds out what he needs then we can start preparing for later tonight. Course, we have to do something about Riku and Risa. They can't know anything about this.

"I don't have one," I tell her. This game is bad for me, in more ways than one. She pouts.

"Come on!" she says. "Try harder than that!"

"Alright, alright! Um... … I seriously can't think of one..." Riku smacks her forehead.

"Niwa, ask her about romance. That gets her every time!" Risa leans in my ear to whisper.

"Hey! No helping him, Risa!"

My face gets hot and I quickly shake my head no.

"Then I will," she says, while looking back to her sister. "Riku, tell in detail the most embarrassing dream you've ever had." Risa looks smug, like she knows what must be coming. Riku goes very red and shakes her head fast.

"No fair!" she yelps.

"How about a different game?" I volunteer. "We could-"

"Sing?" Risa interrupts.

"Nah, we don't have any of our karaoke CDs over."

"Kyuu!" With brings a hand-sized ball and rolls it by me.

"How about we toss the ball around and let With try to get it from us?"

"Okay!" They both say. They just can't resist cute, little With. The ball starts getting tossed back and forth, meanwhile he keeps jumping for it.

'I'm glad he's alright from yesterday, Dark.'

**'He didn't even come close to dying.'**

'But, that was a bad wound, wasn't it?'

**'Yes, to a normal rabbit. But With is an extraordinary familiar.'**

'Were you worried at all?'

**'Some, but his connection remained strong the whole time so I knew he'd pull through. Still, those people will pay for the pain and the suffering. Just because we heal fast does not give them the right to inflict harm. You'd better stop talking to me if you want to stay in front of the twins.'**

'Right.' I'd already almost got whacked once.

**-.-**

"So, Mom? How is this going to work with Riku and Risa over?" I ask in the kitchen sometime later. Hiwatari still hasn't come down once and it is already past two o'clock in the afternoon. Dad's outside showing off his gardening skills to the girls, which means discussion time for mom and me.

"We think them staying here with you, Satoshi and your grandpa would be best, Daisuke," she says while busily cutting up celery to dump into a juicer.

"No, I have to come. Magic is going to be involved and you're going to need me and Dark." It angers me that mom and dad were planning to go in this all alone.

"Honey, think this through," she says in a mild manner, pouring lots of previously juiced liquids into a blender and cutting it on. "You're hurt and so is grandpa. You and Satoshi could keep watch over the twins and him without being in the middle of things. I know Dark's going to be mad, so don't tell him until after we leave. And absolutely no following! Now, go give this to Satoshi upstairs." She cuts the noisy thing off and pours two separate glasses of the deep red gunk.

"It's home made fruit and vegetable juice. One's for you, so go on and enjoy."

"You'd think I'd get used to stuff like this," I say to myself, taking them.

"What?" Mom asks with a vein throbbing in her temple.

"Nothing! It's probably better than it looks!"

**-.-**

Satoshi's POV 

Even with major passwords backing me, it was still a chore to get through most of the security programs. I'd nearly made one mistake that would have resulted in a crashed computer and many agents coming down to arrest us on the spot. But by far the most difficult thing was covering up any tracks I was leaving in their system. I didn't want any of this to be traced. Course anything can be traced if you know what you're looking for, but I can make it so it may not grab anyone's attention, even if they're checking. It mostly depends on how good they are on their end. So far I haven't come across any safe lock features. Which is good. Those types of things, for instance, can shut you down for entering an area outside of a specific time frame.

My eyes are lit up by the screen, watching as words are being typed at a fast pace. I'm hardily aware of the time going by. Finally, I make it all the way in, scrolling down a list of newly released test weapons. Many still aren't available for usage, though there are a few now out on my father's personal army market. It won't take long to figure where his priorities are. I click on one called a Resonator Net (Missile Released Version). The computer blinks to a three-dimensional revolving figure of what looks to be a modified grenade launcher. I click again to see what its loading rounds are. It seems to be a single, small black missile. In the bottom of the screen it gives me the option of viewing a demonstration of it in action.

Clicking, I see one guy in normal attire aiming inside a plain vast warehouse at a lion chained at the opposite end to a wall. This snares me as unusual. Maybe they'd wanted to test the weapon against something with more than average human strength. Looking closer, I see the lion is rabid, foaming at the mouth. His anger and madness is easy to spot. That can explain how they'd gotten a hold of such an animal. It doesn't take much for my father to reroute such a beast from humane execution to scientific torture.

Disgusted, I watch anyway as the guy's two extended fingers wrap around the heavy trigger and pull. Without sound on I can't hear the blast, but the guy is knocked back by the weapon's dramatic recoil. In an instant, the speeding black projectile splits into a net, encircling the enraged lion. He goes down dead in the space of a second. They zoomed in towards the fallen beast. It appears untouched except for the net over its sprawled form. Its eyes are open and I don't want to see anymore. It's going to show a slow motion of what just occurred, but I can live without that. Instead, I back out and read up on the fearsome contraption.

**-.-**

Daisuke's POV 

Somehow, managing hop/limping up the stairs with two full drinks wasn't as impossible as it sounds. I probably wasn't very quiet during any of it, but Hiwatari was still very into whatever he was reading. It didn't seem right to disturb him, so I snuck close and sat on the floor, waiting. None of the words on the screen made any sense to me. It was as if all of it was coded somehow. Wonder if it made sense to him. Catching my reflection in the screen, he turns in the only chair.

"We have big problems," he says to me.

"It has to do with that?" I ask, pointing towards the screen. He turns back to it, not sparing any time to look at the glasses I'm holding. Purposely ignoring them I think.

"Yes. This is a description of what certain weapons in my father's care can do to you and me. They are specially designed with us in mind. So far, they seem more built towards my weaknesses than yours. Perhaps because my father knows a little more about the Hikaris than the Niwa family." He turns back to me again.

"We're going to have to be very careful tonight, Niwa. One hit and most can kill. They are mostly projectile weaponry, so effectively stay out of sight and you should be fine."

I clear my throat and offer up a glass. He politely takes it and sets it by the computer.

"My mom is saying she wants us to stay here tonight."

Hiwatari grows distant. His face reveals that he's not pleased.

"There is no way I can stay, Niwa. By right, I'm allowed to leave. I will be gone by no later than nine."

"What is it that you have to do?" He looks away.

"I have to confront my father about something. One way or another, I'm not going to be hunting after Dark anymore," he says quietly. He once again faces the screen and scrolls down, reading more of it. This is shocking. It's his so called fate to try capturing Dark.

"What are you expecting?" I ask a bit demandingly. "What's up with these guys building weapons to kill us? Do you know what they're after?" He stops and suddenly I'm afraid for him. Could he be walking into a trap? Is he expecting not to come out alive?

"Niwa, I'm going to lose my title of Commander. That's why I won't be able to pursue."

He's hiding something and I want to know what. I take a drink of juice, my throat was suddenly dry. Sorta wish I hadn't... It almost doesn't go down. Hiwatari turns back to me at my small choking noises. When I can lift my head back up, he studies my expression.

"It taste a lot like celery." Sorry, but to me it's one of the worst greens in the world. My mom shouldn't have used so much. He looks at the red in my glass. Clearly the color isn't a happy one for him.

"It's got tomato in it. It's healthy even if it is... unique. You might like it," I venture.

"I doubt it," he says.

"She's probably going to check that we've drunk these. It's a thing of hers to make sure everyone gets what they need everyday. And, she knows you didn't eat this morning."

"I never eat breakfast."

"Well," I start thinking. "Let's drink all this at the same time and get it over with." My stomach didn't like the thought, but oh well. Hiwatari does need way more than he's taking in.

"Don't try to coax me into something you can't do."

"I can do it."

"Then go ahead," he dares me wearing a cool, judging expression.

"You too," I say. He reaches sideways for his, keeping his nose far from the strong smell of the stuff.

"Okay," I grab my nose this time. "Drink!" It downs fast, but as soon as I pull up and let my nose go it's heck. _Be still my poor stomach, it's just juice. Bleh!_

Hiwatari hadn't even sipped his yet.

"Hey!" I complain. But, he smiles at me. He reaches over to the corner of my mouth and wipes off some wayward juice with his thumb, then faces his own. He tilts the glass back, then it is gone. He keeps his eyes shut for a few minutes, gently bringing his head and his hand down. I'm left to brood about my growing connection with him in silence while he recovers.

**-****)*(****-**


	23. Chapter 23

**-****)*(****-**

Satoshi's POV 

So, here I am back on Niwa's balcony. Somehow, or another I'm drawn out here. Maybe it's the open space and the clear undisturbed atmosphere that lures me. Whatever it is, I feel less pressure here than anywhere else I've been to recently.

I hated explaining to Niwa what we're going to be up against tonight, but he has to know. And, I'm sure the knowledge will come in handy; we're both going to be using it. Judging from Niwa's body language it's safe to say he'll be disobeying his parents and try coming with me later. Of course I'll have to make sure he doesn't come with me per say. The twins are going to be the biggest set back. I'm not sure what they're planning to do with them, but if they catch wind of what's going down tonight... well then that's suspicions confirmed along the lines of Dark and Krad. I do know this about them, they won't be left wondering for too much longer, no matter the outcome of tonight.

My eyes start drifting close while I bask in the peaceful breeze and sunshine. The Niwa family doesn't know how good they have it out here. _Okay, wake up. You still need to devise a plan against Niwa. _I shake myself and sit up straighter. Thinking of him brings to mind my earlier telling of those silver threads inside him. It's a wonder he didn't drop on the spot, or at least start foaming again. Course, I give Niwa credit. He's always done good under pressure and stress. But, still, the mentioning of the silver nitrate the threads are releasing inside his system and all the potential health problems that can ensue from the threads themselves would be enough to make any person succumb to whimpers. (He lividly turned green.) And, what's worse is there's no known way to remove the minuscule things, let alone find all of them to begin extracting them in the first place.

Out of nowhere there comes a loud yell from the kitchen in Emiko's voice.

"SATOSHI!" My name reverberates off the walls. Startled, I face the entrance of the window as footsteps thunder up the stairs. I thought they were keeping my stay here a secret from the twins, rather than chance rousing anymore suspicions from them. Why is Emiko being so loud? Unless something has happened...

Before I can get up she is the room facing me, her expression fearful and yet angry while she stares down at me.

"What did you say about those threads? What was the cure?" she shouts.

"There is no known cure," I repeat to her, my inner alarm dying some. I'd thought the worse had happened already on account of her.

"And, what can these things cause?" she huffs. Slowly I stand up to make this easier.

"They bring poison into the victim more or less discreetly. The threads allow it to spread unstoppable and unchecked throughout the entire individual, bringing an increasing amount of paralysis in its wake. The foreign objects themselves can cause immeasurable damage, ranging anywhere from sudden excruciating pain to massive hemorrhaging and even stroke or heart attack by damage of main vessels inside the body. They can also shutdown organs by burying into them and releasing more poison if they still carry some by that time." Finishing this, Emiko doesn't look far off from how Niwa did.

"Then I suggest we put our heads together and find a cure," she speaks in a hard tone, not giving away the emotional turmoil that my words have surely caused.

"I wasn't going to give up on him."

A single tear leaks out the corner of her eye and she turns around. "Thank you," she says and walks for the stairs. "If you come up with any ideas, please let us know. We'll be down in the basement."

I plan on coming up with something to help but as she walks away, I know better than to try approaching their basement. The Hikari arts are stored down there and if I should go too near, then Krad will definitely stir, along with my magic and thereby weakening the seal greatly. An honest mistake on her part for not realizing that. I turn back outside for the comfort of freedom and see Sargent Saehara's son running from afar by the cliffs. Somethings got him revved and he's heading this way fast. It'll still take him awhile to get here. This may prove good at getting Niwa's attention off his problems, or it could make everything worse. I sit and wait for whichever it happens to be.

_If I can just get into father's main room I can search around for the cure. _Problem is: I have no clue as to where that special place is hidden, nor what protective measures have been used to guard it. And why am I suspecting there is a cure to the threads in there? Just because the document listed no known cure. Father wouldn't have been stupid enough not to have had one secretly made. If only for himself, or so.

"Um... Hiwatari?" A girl's soft voice calls. The twins have decided to make an early appearance. I shift as they come through on the balcony.

"We didn't know you were here," Risa says, standing by her twin.

"Did you do something to Niwa? His mom was awfully mad at you," Riku says.

"She wasn't mad at me," I clarify. "Niwa's going through a rough time. She was shocked and wanted to know what more I could do for him."

"What's wrong with him?" Riku asks, worried.

"Personal information. I can't disclose that." I say, a little too impassively.

"Well, what makes you so special to know?"

"Riku!" Risa reprimands. Riku is immediately ashamed.

"Sorry," she apologizes to me. "But, I know there is a lot more going on here and now even you are in on it." I give a slight shrug and remove some hair from in front of my face.

"Understandable. I apologize that I can't make things clearer for you. I suggest you wait for the Niwa family to tell you. They should soon once they have a better hold on the situation."

"Be honest though, okay? Is his life in danger? I've never felt the tension run this high and I'm scared for him!" Riku herself is very tense.

"All this will be over in a few days. We'll all be going back to school by then. Will that answer do?" I ask. It's a lie, though. I'm not going to be able to go back to school. She frowns heavily and stalks off towards the other side of the balcony, knowing I'm not going to reveal anything more. Risa claims my attention again.

"It's very serious, huh?" she asks. "She trusts you more than she lets on. She's just very worried. After all, Riku loves Niwa very much. So, where is your glasses?"

This one is difficult for me to figure out. Not long ago she was the type of girl – that if I cared to notice – would get labeled as a rude, inconsiderate little child in my books. Now, however, she appears to be growing up. No longer is she so narrow minded, and a deeper playfulness has started shining around her. It glints mysteriously in her brown eyes. I put the emotional wall back up, feeling the familiar yearning for a connection. Something in her attracts me too much. _She's grown out of her shell. If only I could grow out of mine._

"I lost them somewhere." My gaze moves unhindered back towards the ocean.

"That's not like you. Don't you have a spare, or something? I know how bad your eyesight is." She bends down next to me.

"I'm afraid all of my spares are at my apartment."

"Want me to go and get one?"

"No, thank you."

"Your sight really isn't that bad, is it?"

"Other than the fact that I tried to tell you that awhile back, what leads you to believe it now?"

"Just the fact that the computer was used recently and also two glasses are set by it. Niwa was in too much shock after he came from up here. With your smarts, you're probably the one who used it and found whatever done that to him."

When did Risa decide to play detective?

"That doesn't prove your theory. You're only assuming with no hard evidence. I'll ask again, what led you in believing this fact?" She is up to something with her prying and I'm sure I know what. She's taken aback for a moment, caught off guard by my adamant behavior.

"Call it a woman's intuition." Confronting outright is the only way I'm going to get anything out of her.

"Why the sudden interest? What's sparked your curiosity in me?" She looks shocked, like she hadn't thought she'd given anything away in her simple questioning. Her face turns almost frightened, and then she reveals just what I'd been waiting to hear.

"It's not a coincidence that you and Niwa are here. And, you two _are_ involved in something, though I don't know what! Does it have to do with Dark? And, that light last night, what was it? None of this is making any sense. Then, you're here without your glasses and you casually say you lost them. As if! I'm remembering back to how you acted when you took them off in front of me. I'm also remembering that dream I had over by the old tower and the white feather I still have from then. What does this all mean, Hiwatari? Are you and Niwa so similar?"

Riku watches us. I can't help but smile some. I'm sure it looks more like an evil smirk.

"Hmm... you're very clever. Are you frightened of us? We might not seem human to you."

Both girls gulp.

"You're both crazy. Hiwatari stop messing with my sister. And you, Risa, need to stop sounding so whacked."

"It's what she appears to believe. I'm not forcing the issue."

"So, you were just fooling me a second ago?" Risa asks, hurt.

I stand up, wanting to go back inside. But first I look down to her.

"You have a long way to go before you can play this game." I leave in silence, wondering if she caught my hint.

**-.-**

Daisuke's POV 

"Daisuke! Come check this out!" Saehara calls from the front door, puffing.

"Come to the couch," I peek over and tell him. I've had enough hop/limping.

"Fine! But, I came running all this way and you're acting so lazy." He lands on the couch next to me and removes a camcorder from around his neck.

"Here! This is footage that I shot yesterday right out here, but you never even came out, did you? Anyway, I wanted to show it to you. I've got some really good shots!"

"Sorry. My left leg got hurt so-"

"What? Let me see!"

"Ah... you're not suppose to remove the bandage." He gives a disbelieving look at my excuse.

"Come on! It can't be that bad." I nod to him.

"Jeez. Well, you're okay, right?"

"Sure!" I fake a happy tone. He looks at me funny. I'd said the wrong thing.

"I mean, of course!" I lie again.

"Whatever you say, Daisuke. So! Yeah, look at this!" He flips open the side of the hand-sized black device. It holds a small blank screen.

"Oops. Let me cut it on and get it to the part for you."

Hiwatari comes quietly down while Saehara's busy fiddling with the thing. Sounds more like he's breaking it.

"Mind if I get some water?" Hiwatari asks.

"Not at all. There is some bottled in the fridge you're welcomed to."

"Thank you." Then he's gone.

I turn around to find Saehara gob smacked.

"What is _he _doing here?"

"Um..." I'm not sure how to lie about this one. All this lying is surely turning into bad karma. It's going to come back to bite me one day, I just know it. Maybe it already is.

"I'm helping him for yesterday," comes a quick save from Hiwatari in the kitchen. I give a barely plausible sigh of relief. "He took care of me, so now I'm taking care of him."

"Whatever," says Saehara, getting over it. "Look, I didn't catch much, but you can see Dark flying into the water right there."

"Huh?" I watch as Dark, previously recorded, dives head first into the ocean, wings and all. Saehara had recorded a distance away from a ledge, so I can't make everything out clearly. It's weird knowing that was essentially me doing that. After a minute of not coming up, I start worrying. _Dark had to have had a very good reason for __diving in there like that. He should be up by now._

"Now here's the cool part!"

"Wait! Is the water red?"

"Huh?"

"Right there!" I point on the little screen where Dark's ripples had begun to cease. "It's turning red, like someone's bleeding!"

Saehara studies it hard.

"Well, the guy was fine except for a broken leg and some water trapped in his lungs. He didn't have any other injuries except some scratches. It must be Dark bleeding. Strange, I didn't notice that yesterday."

"What guy?" I ask, but sudden movement reveals my answer. Dark had broken the surface with a splash, a young man was carried within his arms. It was a rescue! Even on here I can see the look of concentration on his face as his wings come shooting up out of the water. He flaps hard, trying not to let them dip back underwater. But, something stops him. I can see as he starts coughing and falls backwards under again.

I gasp. Saehara enjoys my reaction.

"Aren't you glad your best friend brought this over for you? 'Cause of me, you get to see what you missed."

I can't speak, only watch as Dark comes immediately back up. His wings shoot over his head again and this time he gains lift, but it's a struggle. His coughs come on more violently and soon water comes up with them. He struggles and fights to keep control, but finally he makes it up and over the cliff's edge. From Saehara's angle, we can't see what happens next. I'm surprised! That had been awesome! Dark had actually rescued someone! Something small is flicked into the ocean after a few seconds. _Well, that explains what captured Dark's attention in the first place... _Come to think of it, he did tell me about this snoopy reporter yesterday. He didn't tell me about having to grab him and save his life, though.

"So, now Dark's a hero, but the police are after him even more now."

"Why?" That's confusing logic to me.

"They're saying it's 'cause he resisted arrest and sicced a crowd on armed forces yesterday."

"No way!"

"Yeah. Isn't that a load of bull? And my dad knows something is not right about the situation. Those guys fired off weapons that were not standard issue. At least that's going by the descriptions we got from eye witnesses. Everything is so hush-hush right now, so I don't have anything more. But, if you look here, you'll see Dark saving Risa!"

"What?" I spin my head back to the screen to see Dark with Risa hanging by his legs off the cliff's side. She soon gets hoisted back to safety, but I'd seen the quick hand movement. He'd done something to her skirt and I blush knowing what it was. Bet Saehara didn't even notice it. Thankfully her distress would not be featured on this little movie. He breaks the silence.

"Everything starts going crazy from there on. Shouting, and I even heard what sounded like a gun blast going off. I couldn't get back up from where I was, but the twins were right there. You should ask them for the full story."

As far as I knew, Riku and Risa didn't know I knew that they had been out there, and Dark had already told me most of the happenings... I think. Anyway, I'll listen if they bring it up. Couldn't have been pleasant for them, so I'm not going to be the one to bring it up first.

"I think they went through a lot yesterday, Saehara. So don't ask them about it yet, okay?"

"Awe! Daisuke!"

"No. They are our guest over here and I forbid it."

"They're here, too? Wow! Go, Daisuke!"

"Huh?"

"Never mind. Anyway, all that's left on here, besides my futile attempts at getting back up, are some random whale sightings. Should have never gone down there in the first place, but I knew I wasn't going to get anything by hanging near that big crowd. Here, if I turn the volume up, you can even hear some of them. My camcorder maybe small, but it's great in the quality department! The smaller the device, the easier you get information, too!"

_At least he's a constant thing that will never change. _

Soon, the sounds of whales come out of the speakers. They're so enchanting! I could listen to them for hours. They splash around for a good while out in the ocean. Suddenly, Hiwatari leans in from behind us. It scares me, but only makes Saehara look at him strangely.

"Can you replay the last eight minutes, please?" he asks Saehara, while pointing at the screen.

"Sure." Saehara glances weirdly over at me, like anything of interest to Hiwatari is strange. Or, maybe he just isn't used to Hiwatari's icy attention.

The footage gets nearly back to the beginning of the whales. Their first recorded songs play. I glance at Hiwatari, happy that he found something so beautiful so captivating. But the look on his face instantly brings worry. He's so serious and... if I'm reading his expression right, lost. Something about the video disturbs him.

"Can you replay it once more?" he asks. Again, we start back near the beginning. There is nothing out of the ordinary. After a few minutes he speaks.

"Stop. Replay the last thirty seconds." Saehara patiently does so. All the while, my concern keeps growing.

"What, you've never heard a whale sing before?" Saehara asks him.

"Yes. Yesterday, if I'm not mistaken." Blue eyes never leave the little screen, but it is clear that Hiwatari's mind is occupied else where. The video plays again. It starts back on a particular high note, fading back into many lower notes, fluctuating eerily until the very end of it.

"Thank you," he says and then starts walking quickly away for the haven of my balcony. There is something very wrong going on here.

"Wait, what happened? What bothered you?" I call after him. Both Risa and Riku pass him as he heads up the stairs.

"Nothing, Niwa. I was just listening is all," he answers as his voice fades up the steps.

"Hey! Girls! Look at this!" Saehara is already rewinding to show them as they walk over to us.

**-.-**

Satoshi's POV 

_This is utter insanity!_

I practically ran out onto the balcony, the nearly empty water bottle dropping, disregarded from my suddenly nerveless grasp. The railing thankfully stops me from going over as I lean from it, watching the ocean with unthinkable new thoughts and worries swarming within my head. I pinch the bridge of my nose and will my new horrible headache to go away.

_They had heard nothing wrong with that video. _Their expressions during it had told me that much. Not that I can blame them! Who understands whales?

_Why? Have I totally lost it? Has this all been some illness induced dream? Have I ended up hospitalized somewhere from those weird symptoms a week prior? Has my Hikari DNA unraveled? Maybe this is in the medical book? … Listed under insanity..._

I rest my forehead on the railing, trying to focus on something to keep from thoroughly losing my mind. So far, there is just messed up thoughts. Inside, behind the seal, I feel Krad laughing.

"Shut up!" I shout out loud. That's it, I am losing it! There is no recovering from this. It has always been a battle to keep my sanity, but no more. That's history. Without knowing it, I'd gone already. That's when that same seagull from earlier lands by my arms. It looks at me with its beady eyes again.

"Don't you start talking," I tell him in all seriousness.

Course the whales didn't actually talk. It was more like I could understand their emotions and what they were calling for. … This is too crazy for me. Ignoring everything, I go back inside and fetch some paper and my pencil from earlier. It's time to jot down everything I've discovered about those weapons. No more crazy thoughts. Though... how many people think real magic is crazy? …

**-****)*(****-**


	24. Chapter 24

**-****)*(****-**

Daisuke's POV 

Saehara finally stopped harassing Riku and Risa for an interview once I smacked him one. It shouldn't have hurt, but he was pretty shocked about it. Probably would have put me into a playful headlock if my face hadn't have looked so seriously annoyed.

"Whoa, Daisuke. What was that for?" he asks. I furrow my brows at him.

"I told you many times to stop bugging them. Can't you see that they are uncomfortable with the subject?"

Both girls are currently on the other couch, looking apprehensive towards us. More or less it could be from my out of character actions more than Saehara's questions. He gives me a hurt expression.

"Okay, but did you have to hit so hard? Jeez, now that hurt! Not as bad as that time you punched me on the boat, but still..."

"That shouldn't have hurt, Saehara," I say with a bit of confusion. _I didn't hit that hard, did I?_

"Ha! Tell that to my aching head!" _Maybe I did hit harder than I thought._

I lower my head in shame. I guess I'm so frustrated that it's sorta possible he got whacked harder than he should have. I mean, now I'm more angry than shocked about my health concerns. Will I die from the threads? Is it possible that life will continue here, but I won't? Selfish sounding I know, but it's just so hard to accept.

**'It's okay, Daisuke. You're just upset. You should go ahead and rest up before tonight. We'll find a way for things to work.'**

'Yeah.'

"Daisuke?" Riku asks. "We're good and so is Saehara. Don't let him fool you. Why do you look so down? Are you feeling okay? You're looking a bit sick."

"Yeah, Daisuke. You are looking sick. You got the flu?" Saehara pipes up. A nervous laugh comes from me, sounding more like a series of squeaks. I don't want to think the poison is effecting me, but I am feeling slowed and increasingly sore. Then again, maybe it's just in my head. Maybe I'm not poisoned. I don't see how, but maybe... right?

"I'm fine everyone! Just going to take a nap. My leg is kinda bothering me."

"Good. That gives me time with them." My dad enters the conversation by stepping out of nowhere. We all turn to face him as he strides toward us with a pleasant smile.

"Risa, Riku and Saehara, come with me. I'm going to show you something that's been passed down in the Niwa family for centuries." My dad gives a small wink and I know it's a tip. He's going to take them somewhere and hide them safely away. That means plans are set and are beginning to roll. So much for a quick rest.

"See you later. I've got to lie down," I tell them. Which really means I'm going to go prepare instead.

"Daisuke." My dad stops me. "You're okay, right?" _Even he's seeing something wrong!_

"Sur- I mean... yes!" He isn't convinced by my blunder.

"Sir, I want to stay with Niwa," Riku blurts in a rush. Dad takes notice of her anxious fidgeting. She's catching onto things obviously. I try to dissuade her.

"Don't worry, Riku. Besides, I'm going to sleep. Just keep my dad company, alright? I know he's been wanting to show this off to everyone all day." Ah huh, it's time for another lie already. Have I mentioned how bad my karma must be yet? I can't remember...

"You're acting strange, Niwa. Tell me the truth! What are you and Hiwatari up to?"

I drop the semi-happy attitude. I can't handle this correctly right now. My eyes slip guiltily away from hers as we just stand there, facing each other in an uneasy silence. That is until I turn and walk away for my room.

"Sorry, Riku. Now is not the time." The words are barely loud enough for my own ears.

She stands there frozen for a few seconds, then rushes me just as I start up the stairs. She grabs onto my shirt, pulling me backwards.

"Riku!" I yell in surprise.

"What's the big idea, you jerk!"

"Riku!" Risa shouts.

"Daisuke," dad shouts. And, Saehara stands, unsure of what to do.

I've been pulled too far and Riku tries to correct her mistake. We end up falling and inside Dark hollers because I land across my hurt leg. Now I know why it was only stiff and not hurting. Dark was taking on the pain again. Something soft stirs underneath me. I move, finding myself on top of Riku. A jolt runs its way strongly through me. We break away fast, each blushing at the other. Hopefully Dark can forgive me for more rough movements. But the positioning couldn't have been more unbearable! I can feel my heart pounding!

"Sorr- Niwa!" she gasps, startling me. Oh no. My shirt is lifted up slightly, revealing some of the blue lines under my skin. Her hands flash to both sides of my face, pulling me closer, studying me._ It might be time after all. _Was that my thought, or Dark's?

"Niwa?" she breathes so close to my face. I'm not sure where everyone else goes. They must be still around, but my world has narrowed. To me, all there is, is Riku. So close... if only circumstances were better. _If only I never had to lie. Then maybe she could trust me and..._

My hands are too rubbery to resist her. She lifts my shirt high, showing horrendous blue lines running almost halfway up my rib cage. Also, on my side is the thin remainder of Dark's wound from yesterday. Risa gasps, Riku pales to an ashen color, Dad becomes worried and Saehara drops his camcorder, thankfully.

"It's true," Risa whispers in awe. "Dark was hurt there also."

"Daisuke! What's happened to you? What is going on?" Riku flips out.

I throw my shirt back over and scramble up the stairs, freaking out just as much as her. It becomes a stampede with everyone racing up behind me. Tears burn in my eyes. I don't want anyone to know! Not yet! Not that I am Dark!

My door opens an instant before my opening hand reaches it. Behind it, Hiwatari stands. I don't hesitate, but run into him. He practically has to support my entire weight. I'd ran/fallen right into his chest. Papers fly as he automatically drops them to grab a hold of me.

"Niwa?" he asks when my momentum stops shoving us. He quickly accesses the situation. His blue eyes barely blink before the door abruptly shuts on everyone; locking us within my room. Only one person rams into the suddenly closed entry way. I don't care who it was. All I can do is let my frustrated tears fall as a commotion well and truly begins out there. My jumbled mind doesn't make any sense out of all the shouting.

"They know..." I whisper, but it comes out more like a sad croak next to the hand crumpling his shirt.

"It was coming sooner, or later," he remarks calmly, unfazed by any of this. How is he always so indifferent? Doesn't matter what happens, he's always unbreakable.

"B-but, why did it h-have to b-be now?" I sob. _Someone has to understand how difficult this is!_

I wasn't aware of gripping Hiwatari's shirt so tightly, nor was I very aware of crying directly into his chest. Eventually, my brain comes back and I pull away, mortified so much that barely any sniffles make it the rest of the way out.

"S-sorry!" I hiccup.

He just turns around with a set face and starts picking up the sheets of paper I'd made him drop. My mind really can't handle anything more, so it blanks while I bend to help, or try to anyway. My hurt leg throbs. Catching myself, I quietly get on my knees to work, my face burning red from embarrassment all the while. I swipe quickly to cover a few tear tracks.

"I'm going to explain more about the weaponry soon, Niwa." Hiwatari suddenly speaks while coming up to take what I'd gathered. I nod and stand, heading for the quiet balcony for the rest of my tears dry out. Suddenly, a hand gets placed on my shoulder. Instinctively, I freeze. It's like I've been captured.

"Niwa?" I look up to his complex eyes. "It'll be okay," he says. I look from one azure glow to the other, trying to read him; understand him. It's impossible. His eyes keep everything locked. I feel him draw me close as his arms embrace me tightly, as if they're coiled chains. A small gasp escapes me. This is unexpected. _What's he doing?_ After a few seconds pass, his tight hold loosens to become more comfortable. He probably didn't even know how to hug.

"H-h-Hiwatari?" Darn it! Why do I have to get so bashful?

"Ssshh~" he whispers.

His hand reaches up to my hair, cradling me against him. It is embarrassing and yet welcoming at the same time. He knows what it truly means to live with another entity inside. His heart beats strongly in rhythm next to mine. Comforted some, I return the embrace, seeing only blue. He smells like the bright afternoon sun and the ocean's peaceful breezes. There's a certain quality of safety in it. He tenderly runs his hand through my spikes, relieving more tension.

"How is it that you always smell like strawberries?" he murmurs by my ear. "Is that just your natural scent?"

"I-I guess so." _Always? How does he know? _Then, I remember the night he'd stayed over. He must have been the one who put me back on my bed before disappearing. Maybe then?

The moment suddenly breaks as alarmed shouts ring from behind the door.

"Girls stop! Don't you break that door down!" It was my dad yelling. He's never yelled at someone before. But... they're_ breaking_ my door _down_? The door bends inwards with a loud crack, making me jump. Hiwatari's hands relax and swiftly fall to his sides.

"Niwa, why don't you go on out to the balcony?" He takes a quick step around me as both my parents begin struggling with the two girls out on the other side. This makes me tense. What could he be wanting to do? There's enough damage going on without him getting involved.

"I'll stay. It's my fault this is happening."

Without turning to me he speaks again.

"I'm asking for my benefit more than yours. Just go, I'll be there soon."

The door suddenly crashes as it's forced from the lock holding it. Five frantic people are crowded and ruffled standing behind it. My feet have started backing up out of habit. I wanna run!

**'Daisuke, let me handle this. You need to relax. Your stressed state isn't ****helping us any.'**

Stepping more in between, Hiwatari makes the first move.

"What is all this about?" he asks them steadily.

"It's all true!" Risa shouts. Riku looks so angry at me; as angry as she is hurt.

"How could you not tell me?" Saehara whines. "How could I not know? How did you hide it so well? Even going so far as to play me as you watched what I recorded yesterday. That couldn't have been you?" I wince. I hadn't play him! I really don't remember any of that stuff!

"Everyone needs to leave," Hiwatari advises. They don't listen. My parents each grab one of the girls, but they spring out of the hold just an instant quick enough. Before I can defend myself, Riku tackles me to the floor. Her weight sends my breath rushing out. For some reason, the pain of smacking the floor fails to register to me.

"Riku!" I wheeze.

"Why?" she shouts.

"... … It's what I am."

"No! You have to deny it! How can I love you when you're him?" she cries awfully.

That hurt! And inside, Dark is feeling it. He cares deeply for both of the twins, no matter what Riku thinks of him. His heart throbs, twisting within mine. I hold in my breath and try to hold back both of our bombarding emotions, but tears flow silently over my cheeks anyway. She looks away and doesn't resist it when someone comes to pull her off of me. Risa takes her place beside me.

"You're really Dark." It's no use arguing with the way she states it. "But, you don't strike me as the same person. Is he like your split personality? Can he hear me right now? ...Don't mind her," she says when she sees I'm still looking after her sister departing with my mom. "We've suspected for awhile now. It's just the shock talking. If she didn't love you, then she wouldn't have stuck around like she's done."

It takes her hand wiping my face for me to glance at her, so struck am I by Riku's words. Tears are in her eyes, too.

"Dark?" she calls.

Dark is hard pressed not to answer. He is struggling literally with everything and my messed up state isn't helping either of us. He needs comfort as badly as me.

"I am myself and he is himself. That's the best way I can put this. He is an entity that's been in the Niwa lineage for centuries. And, yes, he can hear you." _Keep it easy. One step at a time._

"Well, now that I'm learning more about you two, you both can know this. I'm here and so will my sister be. She just needs time is all."

She stands back up and faces Hiwatari. He was busy keeping an eye on Saehara. My mom left with Riku and dad doesn't really know to be ready for him like the rest of us do. As long as he doesn't reach for his camcorder everything will be ... Well, I can't say fine, but close enough in this chaos.

"You're like Niwa too. Right, Hiwatari?" she smiles at him, showing her support.

"What's this world coming too?" Saehara bursts out. "First we learn about Daisuke! Now you're telling me there's another?" He is close to busting a vessel. I feel so guilty as he looks from me to Hiwatari like we are aliens.

Hiwatari doesn't look as if he will answer her, so Risa steps closer to him, stopping at less than a foot apart. Her eyes roam the features of his face, wanting and willing to understand more about him. He turns away from her kindness, but doesn't shut her out.

"My other isn't like Niwa's. If you can remember anything of those "dreams" then you know what I mean," he says. Everyone quietens, including – for the most part – a mumbling Saehara. I stand up, feeling too vulnerable to stay on the floor any longer.

"I remember," she answers. "You had golden hair and golden eyes. You were scary, but something about you then was in pain. Somethings hurting and missing from your other self. And, even though that part of you wants nothing more than to kill us, I would like to help."

Hiwatari jerks, his hands fisting angrily.

"I'm not _him_. Krad is a very disturbed being. Do the best thing for yourself and stay away." He swings my direction and walks straight past. Anger rolls off him in smoldering waves. Risa follows him out onto the balcony.

Saehara studies me closely. Dad decides he is no longer needed to play referee and gives us some space. "I'll be in the kitchen," he says, already heading down. "I'm sure your mom will have a feast for us again tonight." He only dares a half smile as he leaves.

"I can understand you not telling me," Saehara speaks. I jump. He is suddenly standing right in front of me, having leaped I think. "I'm a reporter, so you were afraid of me."

"No! I... just couldn't say anything. You're my best friend, I didn't want to keep secrets, or lie."

"Then why did you?" He raises his brows in question, his sarcastic tone implying that he isn't believing me. This is what happens when you lie; no one believes you with the truth.

"What could I say! That I was two people! That my other was none other than Phantom Thief Dark? What would happen then? I'd prove it, then our friendship would be over!"

"You didn't know that for sure! Besides, look what's happening now!"

"How could you look at me as just Daisuke after? How would you think of me?" How could you be friends with someone who has two personalities? The confusion-"

"You're right," he interrupts in an unusually quiet voice. It doesn't suit him at all. "How can we be friends?" His words are worse than a punch to the stomach.

"Saehara..." But, my best friend is through. I'd lost him. I feel sick... Very, very sick.

"Don't you even call me that!" he yells. "I'm out of here!" Then he does something I thought he'd never do. He takes off his camcorder and lays it on the floor.

"This way you know your secret is safe no matter what. I'm giving up my video from yesterday on there."

"Saehara! Don't-"

His back is to me and before I can stop him, he's gone. Just that quick. He's been with me ever since I can remember first walking to school. Because of him, I'm not nearly as shy as I used to be. Granted, I could never boost as loud as he could around others, never let loose as much as he could in front of the entire class. ...It's all ended in this moment. The front door slams in the ringing silence. I'm so numb. I'm so ...stupid. If I'd have come clean, then wouldn't I have been accepted? Now my friends are hurting and all I feel is a numbness.

Glancing shakily back, I see Risa talking to Hiwatari. His eyes were watching someone past the balcony. He turns back to find me looking. I'm guessing he was watching Saehara running away. That means he knows he didn't take our secret well. I keep my face as unreadable as possible and head for the stairs. Hopefully Riku will just give us some time alone. Dark suddenly holds me back.

_I can't move!_

'Dark!'

**'Quiet! Do you feel that?'**

'Feel what?' Dark is scary when he gets nervous; nothing but seriousness.

**'Never mind. I feel it. Something is sneaking close by. I'm not sure whether it has already made it into the house, or not.'**

I slowly raise a hand to steady my suddenly racing heart.

**'The feel I'm getting is not a good one, Dai. Quickly! Warn the others!'**

Whirling around for the balcony catches Hiwatari's attention. I let him read my expression and wait for him to acknowledge the new danger. He stiffens, catching on, and ushers Risa by his side. The two are coming in by the time I'm clearing the stairs. Pain leaks through, but it's not enough to slow me. Breaking to the kitchen, nothings out of place... yet.

"Dai, what's the matter?" Mom asks, putting down her wooden spoon. Riku won't even look my way from over by the table. Dad starts getting out of his chair to look out a window.

**'One inside, at least three outside,' **Dark relays. I quickly hold up a finger and circle, then hold up three and thumb outside. Her and dad both understand the message.

"Riku, come with me, sweetie," she says, giving absolutely nothing away.

"Why?" Riku asks. She starts studying me then, knowing I was the blame for mom's request.

"Just come on." My mom hurries her out to one of our secret exits. Dad walks over to me.

"I've got to go get your grandpa. Keep With close," he says.

"Alright." I rush back for the stairs.

'Dark, where is the one that's made it in?'

**'If I knew, I'd have told you. They're human, but somethings made it hard for me to track them. All I can tell you is one's close.'**

'That's not helping much!' I pound back up the stairs. With jumps to my shoulders from the banister.

"Niwa, what's going on?" Risa asks me as I burst into the room. I slam my door shut, but it won't do much good since it's busted now.

"Hiwatari, do you feel anything?" I don't mean to ignore Risa, but this is important.

"No." He answers steadily. We all shuffle for the middle of my room, ready if they try to move in from my windows, or my broken door. If Dark is right and one is close, then we'll have to discover its location before moving Risa safely to an exit. But, we also have to hurry before the others make it in.

"I'm getting scared," Risa squeaks. I really want to tell her how scared I _already_ am.

Every small noise goes quiet. The only remaining sound is Hiwatari's and Risa's slightly uneven breathing. A sicking sort of thrill spins through me and my systems kick in with a rush. Something is about to happen. Things begin feeling surreal, but panic doesn't come.

**'Focus, Dai. On your right!'**

I'd heard the small noise, too, and turned towards the balcony in time to see an object coming fast. I'm running towards it before it even breaks through the window. Risa screams as it shatters in a flurry of glass. I slide into a kick as it arches downwards. It's not a practical move to get into, but I can't very well put my full weight on my injured leg. It works, and before detonation it flies outside again, releasing a wave of stunning light and sound. Still, it's close enough to effect me somewhat and my body crumples the rest of the short distance to the floor, stunned by the blast. My arm jerks up an instant later and past the absolute ringing I hear Hiwatari's voice as he forces me back to my feet.

"That was a flash bang! Niwa! We need to move!"

_A flash bang? What's after us? The military?_

Shapes make sense again and Risa's teary face comes close to mine. I just about fall sideways, but she grabs and holds me upright. I lean on her for a bit then push off to get back into the action. Hiwatari was carefully looking out the broken window. He doesn't want to expose himself to anyone out there, but he wants to see what we are up against.

"I think you sent it most of the way back and stunned some of them," he says. "It won't keep them out long." He looks to me. "We need an exit, fast."

"Risa." She whirls around to face me. "Keep brave."

**'Inside, other side of door!' **

I look to the busted wood. With – who is still somehow on my shoulder – growls furiously. We know where the inside intruder is now, but how are we going to make it past to the exit?

"Niwa! Where's an exit!" Hiwatari yells. He'd seen the door move in a little, just as I did.

"Nearest is in the living room!" I yell back, grabbing for Risa right next to me.

Hiwatari breaks into a run from the window, wrapping arms around us both. Then, a golden glow entraps us. It circles with precision and the next thing we know, the floor gives out in a perfect circle underneath us. Weightlessness hits. It happens so fast that it's hard to comprehend. _We're falling! _I grab Risa right in front of me and pull Hiwatari closer in the rush. It isn't going to be good, but I can take the fall better than either of them.

I want to protect them. My already pounding heart pumps a fresh warmth hastily through and my limbs grow. I don't have to struggle as much to wrap around both of them.

"With!"

He already knows my command and takes to my back. Dark's huge black wings fill the living room, though I'm falling back first and there is no way I'm chancing trying to correct myself this late into it. Taking hold firmly, I wrap them into a soft, makeshift shield. Both Hiwatari and Risa look to me before everything goes solid black.

**-****)*(****-**


	25. Chapter 25

**-****)*(****-**

Satoshi's POV 

I'd done it again. I'd tapped into Krad. His magic _is_ better than my own. Mine wouldn't have been strong enough and we'd needed an escape fast. Hopefully, we'll still walk after landing this.

Niwa holds onto me, his arms pulling Risa and me into him more. He was going to take most of the impact for us. _Not a good idea! _He changes our trajectory, tilting us into him. I feel his chest expand drastically and his hold becomes more secure, engulfing both of us easily into his larger form.

"With!" he calls in Dark's voice. Wings instantly rise past us on both sides, feathers sway from the rushing movement. I move to look at him. Crimson eyes were still set in Dark's face, the determination sparkling brilliantly. Black wings cover us like a soft, steel blanket, his arms hold us secure underneath it. _Niwa! _

The impact jars us a short eternity later. We land almost neatly on the couch. Springing from the force, Niwa circles to his feet and, thinking fast, releases us quickly. Risa and I roll to the floor in a propelled dizzy mess. Feathers flutter everywhere, and as Niwa tries to catch himself properly, unable to, he plants right into a wall. It's a hard hit. Face and wall both separate with blood oozing between them.

He staggers to stay upright, his temple bleeding thickly. Only the whites of his eyes show as he fumbles around, shaking his head like it might help him. More than likely, he's suffering from a small concussion.

"Which-?" Risa starts to ask.

"Niwa," I clarify and hurry to pick us both up. Obviously he isn't sure where he is anymore. He struggles to lean against the wall he'd hit, his left leg paining him more. Dark's normally easy going features contort in agony.

"Niwa? You okay?" Risa asks, using her hand to wipe some of his blood out of his eye.

"...Y-yeah," he answers.

_Well, if he's good enough to speak... _Not that I believe he's okay...

"Niwa, you have to tell us where the exit is." I remind him.

"T.V."

"Huh?" Risa glances worriedly in my direction.

"What do you mean? Under? Behind? What do I have to do?" I ask him while already running to it.

"Under... Secret door ...under the carpet." He grabs his head and stands up straight. Risa helps him. I'm forcing the television away when a lone figure creeps down from upstairs. It's feminine only in the way it openly walks towards us. Risa's frightened squeal is what alerts me. I throw a glance at her, turning and abandoning the idea of escape when I see the figure coming close. Her gear covers her from head to toe in a black unmarked suit, clearly meant to be bulletproof in its heavy bulk. Her large weapon hides all the little trinkets at her sides, so I can't make out what all we are faced with. Her tones are definitely female when she talks to us from inside her helmet. Its overly cocky lilt grinds badly against my nerves.

"Resist and I have orders to shoot even you, Commander. You two," she indicates Risa and Niwa with her rifle-look-alike. "Over to the, _Commander_." She's enjoying this. _Does this woman have a vendetta against me? _

"So, my father wants to round us all up. I'm surprised you didn't shoot us on sight then," I say, staling for time. The worst thing we can do is get into one little area for her. But I don't see how we can get away from this one without one, or more of us going down. Almost instantly at that.

"That's because these are more than just tranquilizers," she answers. "Now stop playing big. The rest of the team will be here soon. Where is the others? Two more females and another male?"

"They were gone before we got here, so I don't know." I keep talking to her, trying to find a weakness of some sort in her posture. She's trained well. _She also knows everyone that's been here, yet she didn't asked for Takeshi. Does that mean they intercepted and captured him? Or did he not get their attention yesterday? _

"Wrong answer." She aims her gun. My blue eyes widened right before I jerk. A burning pressure explodes out from my upper leg, the report from the rifle echoes afterward. Risa – scared senseless by the noise – falls against the wall with her hands covering her head. I look slowly down to the blue tipped dart sticking painfully out, stunned.

"I'm a very trigger happy person. Cooperate from now on if you don't want any more of those."

"You said it wasn't filled with tranquilizers. What's this then?" I didn't see the blue darts listed in the ammunition I'd found. How very disturbing. I do know the red ones could drop us in the span of a heartbeat, but this? I'm not feeling anything besides the burning of the needle, which I pull out. Of course, all the liquid has already injected, so it hardly does me any good.

"Those are just a little something created especially for lucky little you. You'll feel it soon enough."

_Oh, har har. That's why it's blue tipped. Make fun of my natural hair color, will you? _

I'm not much of a fighter, but the need to rip into her was churning heat in my gut.

"Hiwatari!" Risa shouts from the wall and comes over to my side. Brave, but stupid of her. Then again we don't have a whole lot going for us anyway.

"Get winged Big Boy over there to line up as well," the masked woman orders in a sharp command, while jerking her head in Niwa's direction. He's currently busy being caught in a stupor. She raises her rifle threateningly, pointing it towards Risa. Risa's breath catches.

"The little girl beside you won't survive five minutes with this," she warns in a sneer-like manner.

_Well, there goes the option of just running for it. _

"Niwa, come over here," Risa calls unsteadily. He shakes himself a last time and tries to move from the wall, but ends up falling forward to his knees with a thunk, holding himself off the floor with one hand.

"Why isn't my team in here yet? Hey! Hurry up!" She yells at Niwa. He lifts his head to look across the short distance at her. But, this isn't Niwa. This is a feral Dark. The anger coming out of those slits is enough to cool my insides off dramatically. The woman yelps in shock, turning the rifle his way. I don't want to chance the darts being toxic for him, too, and leap for her. She shoots and backpedals faster than I can reach. Dark flings himself into the air, aiming for a counterattack. He produces a heavy almost furious sound with his wings in his haste and narrowly avoids the oncoming dart. It strikes straight into the wall behind him. He quickly comes down in a pounce. I twist out of his way, heading back towards Risa and the secret exit.

I'm tearing into the carpet by the time the clash of the two ring out. Woman or not, he was giving her no mercy. It only lasts for a total of a few seconds. Dark is way stronger, even if he is injured. Even though the carpet has clear marks in it, I can't pull it up hard enough to rip in. I dig with my fingers, scrambling for it to work. We have to get out quick! Suddenly, a black wing comes down on my left. Dark sticks the upper curve of it precisely against the carpet and draws it in towards himself. I watch with a small shudder as the hidden thumb reveals itself, pulling away from the smallest feathers and across the carpet's fibers. His dewclaw easily cuts into it.

Once he gets one side sliced, he uses a regular limb – a hand – and yanks the rest of the patch neatly away. A wooden and metal framed door is set below. I take the handle and pull it open to reveal utter darkness.

"I'll lead," Dark says, his face set as straight as a mask.

"You sure you're okay enough?" I ask. It wouldn't be good to get lost down there.

A shot rings through the house then, cratering itself into the floor closest to Risa. She jumps in surprise. Within one fluid motion, Dark grabs her and pitches forward and out of sight. I follow through feet first an instant later, falling for a second time now. I look up, and with an outstretched hand, direct my magic. It connects me to the door and I yank, pulling it back closed. Before I hit the ground, I've already sealed it with my own branding. No one will be able to follow us. From there at least.

**-.-**

Dark's POV 

It is seeming more and more impossible to continue. Daisuke had smashed hard and I was seeing everything in twos. At the best of times just a little blurry. At a worse time, I'd totally blanked. When that had happened I'd had no idea what was going on, or what to do. It's a wonder Risa is safe because of it. I'd landed on my back to catch her and keep her from falling wrong. My leg certainly wouldn't have held if I'd cared to try it the less spine jarring way. Satoshi fell beside us an instant later and I'd curled my wing up to absorb most of the fall for him. He only got jarred a little when he landed on his side. Wish I could say the same for myself. Coughing wasn't giving me my breath back and I'd heard my wing crack heavily as Satoshi hit. Everything feels so broken. If only the pain would subside I couldn't be aware enough to be awake. But, with concussions you're not suppose to sleep. Not if you ever want to wake back up.

... …... … "DARK!" Risa shouts, sounding scared. She's close by, I know, but to me it sounds extremely far away.

"Hiwatari! He's not moving anymore!" Risa moves out from underneath my still arm to a sitting position. Impatiently, she throws her long brown hair out from her eyes.

Satoshi moves carefully from on top of my right wing. It burns steadily and twitches once. Guess it's severely sprained instead of broken. That's good. With doesn't have long to wait until we can separate then. I sure won't order him to do it now, no matter how much that might bring me some much wanted relief. Any injuries sustained to my wings could potentially kill him in his regular form.

"He's got to wake up," Satoshi says. It's true. I keep fading in and out, not truly asleep, but not truly awake either.

I hiss and buck when what feels like sharp teeth rip into my side. Satoshi quickly pulls his hand back.

"A few of his ribs are broken," he states to Risa.

"Thanks for finding that out," I choke out as sarcastically as I can. My voice is nearly nonexistent. "I'd have never known that on my own." (Never cut your remarks short, even when it sounds like you've got nothing in you.)

"Dark! You're going to make it, right?" Risa sounds borderline hysterical.

"Oh yeah, just give me a minute."

"But, what about those people? Won't they follow us in here?"

"Don't worry about that," Satoshi speaks. "They won't be able to get in. It's sealed shut."

"Oh. How?"

"I need some room," I tell them.

They both stand and move further down the narrow tunnel. Risa's question hangs unanswered, and Satoshi isn't about to say anything more on the topic. I roll over my right wing, keeping it easier not to jostle around, using the wall for much needed support.

"Dark, are you up? I can't see anything," Risa says.

Getting my barrings, I walk over to them, keeping an arm to support my cracked ribs and unfortunately my sprained wing drags a trail in the dirt.

"I'm up. Take my hand, Risa." I reach down and knock my right against one of hers. She latches onto it.

"Satoshi, I know you can't see down here either. I'll warn you of what's ahead. If that becomes a problem, my left wing will be close by. I can steer you, or you can grab it. Whichever you prefer."

"You're acting different, Dark." I can't read his tone, thereby what he's getting at.

"What do you mean?" I ask him with a bit of an edge.

"Nothing," he replies. I look to Risa, who'd started chuckling and squeeze her hand in a silent question.

"You two kind of sound like brothers," she laughs.

"...I don't know about that, but we need to get out of here. Let's go."

My hand tugs in her grasp and blindly she walks beside me. Satoshi moves, too, but he is definitely out of his element. Krad was made for the light, whereas I was made for the darkness. He does the smart thing and runs a hand alongside the wall and listens to our footsteps to make sure we're close at all times. ~Sigh~ I've always taken pride in my light footsteps, but darn. My ribs are too sore for me to put much effort into it. Besides, my trailing wing is what's really making noise. The large limb rustles in its awkward droop. Most people would call it a scary noise, especially with it echoing inside this dark and possibly haunted place.

"Dark, what's that dragging sound?" Risa asks.

"Sprained my wing."

"Oh. Sorry." I laugh a bit at her. "It sounds like something stalking us," she defends. I laugh some more and my ribs catch painfully.

"Ouch," I say to myself. A turn eventually comes up, veering sharply to our right.

"Right turn," I warn. "There's also a deep crack going across the ground. Satoshi, you'd be better off stopping. I'll get Risa over it, then come for you."

It was a good two feet wide and spread nearly all the way across either sides of the tunnel. Which reminds me: I've got to question Kosuke still. He'd stepped right over without any problems. Surprisingly, Satoshi listens to me without a fuss and stops quietly. I stop Risa once we come right up next to it.

"Alright, it's right in front of your feet. Take a really big step. Just follow my movements."

"How can you see in here? There isn't any light at all."

I wait until we clear the gap to answer her.

"My eyes are made for this. I see by more than just the lighting."

"Wow! What's it like?"

"You're not scared of that?"

"Nope."

Such a simple answer, but well received.

"I'll tell you later, okay? I've got to fetch Satoshi now."

"Okay, but I don't have to see your face to know you're smiling."

"Of course I'm smiling. How long has it been since I've met someone who doesn't fear me and my talents outside of the Niwa clan?" My heart clenches. I'd reminded myself of Rika, her grandmother.

"Dark? You jerked. Are you alright?"

"Yeah," I say and let go of her hand. "Be right back."

Satoshi waits patiently where he'd stopped. I limp myself back over to him and turn around.

"Alright, grab my wing so I can guide you."

He reaches out and I flare the tip of my wing feathers into his open hand. Slowly, we shuffled towards the gap and Risa. I stop again and gently push my wing against him.

"It's about two feet wide," I warn. He nods and follows me easily enough across.

"A lot of twists are coming up. You might as well keep a hold of me," I tell him. "Risa, what are you doing?" Her bending over the gap had caught my attention. A curious look is on her face.

"Looking in the gap. I thought I saw a light flicker." She answers.

I quickly reach her side. "Come on, let's keep moving." I urge hastily.

"Okay." She extends a hand that I immediately grab onto.

"What's wrong?" She asks, feeling my sudden increase in tension as I haul us along the tunnel.

"Nothing," I lie. Satoshi suddenly jerks my wing. He's looking back into the gap. My skin crawls. Krad is unfortunate enough to be able to "see" things, so I guess that means Satoshi can "see" them, too. Luckily, I can only "feel" them. I'm not sure who all died so long ago down here, but I'm not wasting any time staying to find out.

We continue our journey, and if I don't know any better, Risa is the only one of us not freaked one little bit. Must be nice to be her.

**-****)*(****-**


	26. Chapter 26

**-****)*(****-**

Dark's POV 

**'Dark...? Ow... Is everyone alright?' **Daisuke asks me, after having just come to.

'Well, Satoshi and Risa are still here. I'm sure everyone else is fine.'

**'Do you know where they are? Can we meet up with them?'**

We are currently nearing the end of the underground tunnel. Risa is humming a sweet tune to herself and Satoshi is beginning to lag behind on my left. I keep brushing a few feathers lightly against him to make sure I can still reach. This way he doesn't get left too far. What few times I brush hard enough for him to feel must seem odd to him.

'With positions the way they were, I'd say your mother and Riku went down to her closet's secret exit and your father with your grandfather went down the basement's. So, that would be a no, we can't meet up from here. They are fine, don't worry.'

**'But, what about the plans tonight? How are we going to stay a step ahead of them if we don't know where they are exactly?'**

'Tsk, tsk, Daisuke. Remember who we are?'

**'I don't want to risk exposing them in the middle of everything!'**

'Well, they will have a better chance at succeeding if we are present, either way.'

"Dark, are we almost there?" Satoshi asks, sounding very off from normal.

"What's wrong?" Immediately I quit walking. All of a sudden, there are two screeching voices ringing in my head. One of which only I can hear and the other belongs to Risa.

"Say that again." 'One at a time, this time,' I add, annoyed at Daisuke.

"I said, Hiwatari was hit by a dart! Maybe he's sick?" Risa stares off distantly, as if she might be able to see him.

"I'm only wanting to know how long we have left down here," he says, coming up next to me. "Something has been following me for the last few minutes and it's getting annoying."

"A dart?"

"Yeah. It was blue tipped. Do you know what that is, or something?" Risa asks.

"No." I bend to study his face. Unable to see, he's not aware of me doing this. I straighten.

"What's following you?" I ask him, while beginning to check further down, from where we'd just come. "It could just have been my wing bumping into you."

"I knew when your wing was touching me. What I am talking about is not that."

"T-then... what?" Risa quivers, eyes wide. I push her into the hollow of my good wing, putting a splayed hand comfortingly in the middle of her back to protect her. She blushes.

"Let's just continue, shall we?" I offer. "The exit is less than a minute away."

"But, I wanna know-," Risa begins mumbling before pelting into my side screaming, "SOMETHING TOUCHED MY LEG!"

"That's why you shouldn't say things like that," Satoshi mutters, wiping a wrist against his forehead. He's not feeling good, no matter how great his acting skills.

"That wasn't you, was it, Hiwatari?" she asks him, while spreading some of my larger flight feathers out of her way. It tickles the way she pulls at them.

"He's too far from you," I confirm.

"Let's keep going. Now, _please_,"he invokes with enthusiasm. I place a hand on his shoulder and steer him to the front of me.

"Keep up, then!" We continue walking.

**'Dark, I've got a bad chill...'**

'No kidding, Daisuke. You think I haven't noticed?'

That's when a large hand grabs my hurt wing from behind, near my shoulder. I stop in my tracks and Risa screams again.

"SOMETHING JUST BREATHED ON MY NECK!"

I swallow thickly.

"Yeah, well something has my wing." I push Risa and Satoshi ahead of me. Satoshi spins around. The look he makes offers no confidence whatsoever.

"Dark! Move!" he yells. I stiffen, feeling the shock of a freezing hand plunging itself into my back, burrowing, reaching for something. It's gone as quickly as it comes. I throw myself in a half circle to look behind. Nothing is there.

"What...?" I question with confusion. _Is this a fight, or flight situation?_

"Come on, before he can come back," Satoshi says matter-of-fact like, turning around to walk onwards. Risa reaches blindly for me. Shaken and a little angry, I grip her hand.

'Daisuke, you alright?'

**'No, I'm not. I think I'm going to throw up...'**

'You'd better not! I'm out right now, you know!'

**'…'**

'Daisuke, do you feel any different?'

**'Yeah. What did whatever that was do?'**

'I think it tried attacking us. Now _I'm_ feeling sick...'

"Dark?" Risa stops tugging on my hand. "Come on, don't stop now!"

"Sorry. You two go on. I'll be right behind you."

"You'd better not stop, Dark," Satoshi warns, coming from around Risa.

"It's not like I want to stay!"

"Dark?" Satoshi looks almost frightened again, staring right behind me. _Not good!_

Forget about being hurt! Throwing Risa over my shoulder, I run, hauling Satoshi up along with her. That exit's door was going to need replacing. Meh, it's old anyway.

**-.-**

"Don't move!" Is the first thing we hear when surfacing from the ground. Many ominous clicks follow the harsh command. In a full 360 degrees they surround us, guns held armed and ready. Many fingers itch to pull their triggers. This is a regular fun fest for them.

"Great. Maybe Kosuke _was_ spotted yesterday," I mutter to myself, my hair swaying as I swing a circle to take in the full sight around us.

"Take Dark down! Leave the other two standing!" the squad's leader yells with an arm raised high into the air.

Satoshi forces Risa and himself down flat on the ground. I step back, but there is nowhere to go for an escape, except for the trees above. Those wouldn't be easy with my ribs, but neither will anything else. Red darts begin littering the air all around us.

'Daisuke, be strong!'

**'Right!'**

I summon my energy outwards, creating a purple translucent dome just big enough to cover the three of us. My reserves were already draining. That's the problem with speed healing, it demands a lot out of you. And, I've been having to do a lot of it since yesterday. The darts fall harmlessly around the outer edge of the barrier.

"Don't worry men!" the squad leader shouts. "We've faced this sort of trick before! Next wave! Fire!"

"Tell me they're kidding."

"Dark! You can't keep this up!" Satoshi shouts, his body shielding Risa protectively in case any darts happen to make it through.

"Tch!"

The second wave fires. It continues on to a third wave. I drop the barrier after that, having seen an opening. Most of the thirty some-odd men had fired their rounds empty, the first group still had not reloaded properly. The darts, being stubborn, had jammed. They really should work with quality instead of quantity. When are people going to learn? I bust through the crowd of unmarked uniforms, hoping that this way Satoshi and Risa will be safer. I couldn't have kept that barrier up for much longer. For sure they would have gotten hit it if I'd stayed so close.

I circle around, not going far behind one soldier and ball my fist. As he turns, the back of my knuckles swing, breaking through his helmet and into his temple. He drops and I'm already on my next target. She swings, her reflexes surprising me. The rifle comes close, but I back step in time and counter with a well placed uppercut. She goes down. _So much for being easy on women._

"Dark! I order you to stop this!" the squad leader is idiot enough to yell out.

I snap my teeth together, still in drastic pain. _I can't keep this going! _But, I'm going to make sure I take their leader out first, and he's just drawn a target on himself. Five more uniformed idiots make an attempt to surround me. Spinning in a powerful circle, I extend my good wing and knock them backwards. They land at odd angles. The moves a costly one. My limb throbs, adding fuel to my growing anger. The leader stands still as he stares at me, raising a hand for order. All actions on their side cease. Any who can get up does so quickly, moving to put distance between us. I'm breathing heavy, pressing an arm under my ribs and keeping relatively motionless, trying to figure out what he's planning. He raises both hands to take his helmet off. A smug, handsome face looks at me, his light sandy brown hair is pulled back into a single shiny ponytail. I want to floor him.

"Dark, you should stop," he says as slanted eyes narrow.

"Do I know you?" I ask.

"No," he laughs. "But, you soon will. You need help, right? I'm sure you of all people have noticed."

"What are you going on about? Come on away from your toadies and let's duke it out. A real fight!"

"You're calling me out, eh? You don't want to do that."

"Ha! Not going to do it? Well then, I'll come to you."

I start walking over to him and he reaches down by his side. His underlings don't make any moves, being great in keeping with his issued command. His hand comes up holding a small plastic device. Flipping the top open with a thumb, I hear beeping coming from within it.

**'Dark, he's up to something! Stop walking!'**

"If you want to stay alive, I suggest you stop, Dark. Take a moment to listen to the rhythm of this beeping, if you would."

Against my judgment, I stand and listen.

**'It sounds like a heartbeat. Why?'**

"Now, tell me what in this field is beating exactly with this?" He looks positively thrilled. "I'll give you a hint: It's _very_ close to you."

Daisuke gasps in horror. Open mouthed, I look down to my chest and place a hand over my heart. For every beep the device makes, my pulse beats under my palm. Catching my expression, I make a fist and start walking towards him again.

"So what? You know my heart rate. Big deal."

_Please, let that be all he has. Let him be bluffing with that thing!_

"I was afraid you'd think something like that," he says with a frown. "I was going to offer a cure, you know. I literally hold your life here."

"What's the price?"

**'Dark!' **Daisuke can't believe that I'm willing to bargain with this guy.

Pale lips grin. "Your body," he says.

"Excuse me!"

"I want your body. I want to know how it is that you can change the way you do. Don't lie. I've seen the differences marked in this little machine here. Your brain would be a great study, too. I'd like to find out if the Legendary Phantom Thief is a triggered personality, or an actual spirit possessing little Niwa."

I cross my arms. "Why?"

"Just want to know for the sake of knowing," he shrugs.

"Fine," I agree.

"What?"

**'What?'**

"If you cure me, you can perform your little tests, so long as they don't harm."

**'DARK! ARE YOU CRAZY!'**

'Hush.'

"Well, well, well! This I can work with."

"Lose the twinkle, bub." His eyes had roamed over me a little too fondly.

"Sorry. I'm just imagining all the tests I get to try," he chuckles.

"None until you agree to my terms."

"I promise you nor Daisuke shall be harmed. Wouldn't want to lose such a precious thing, would we?"

'Daisuke, does he remind you of someone?'

**'Not really.'**

'Huh? He reminds me of Keiji Saga.'

**'You should have laid down more terms then...'**

'Don't be upset, I was lying about the agreement. I just need to take away that device.'

"Oh, by the way." His gray eyes still twinkle. "Nighty night."

His finger moves, making a small beeping sound of its own against the little device. The regular beeps become slower and irregular and at the same time I jolt forward. Hunching over, I desperately tried to draw in air. But, that won't solve the problem. My nearly paralyzed heart isn't doing much. I drop to my knees, my legs being the first to give out, and hear screams and laughter mix as my vision goes black. I've never been blind in the dark before, but I am now. Laughter rings closer, but I can't stop bending forward towards the grass.

"Restrain them! Good grief, they're just fourteen!" he stops laughing to shout out. I have no idea what Satoshi and Risa are doing.

**'D-dark... this hurts! How is... he doing this?'**

My joints must have metal in them, but somehow I pull myself into a stand. No way are things going to end here for us.

"I don't want to kill you. Just go to sleep already," he says, too pompously for his own good. Something in me flares, snapping that last little bit.

_I dare you! I dare you to kill me!_

"I dare you to kill me, you sonuvabitch!" I scream in his face and my vision suddenly flashes back on. The look he gives, the fear he shows, it becomes my breath. I grip his neck and hoist him high. He's so feeble with his legs dangling helplessly, and his neck feels ready to break under my fingertips. The device is still clutched weakly in his hand.

"Did you hear me? I dared you. Aren't you wanting to press another button, especially since you see what position you're in?" He just chokes.

"I'll take it then." I pluck it out of his hand with my free one and release the button that's pushed on the small keypad. Immediately the relief is plausible. Too bad the guy's turning colors...

**'Dark! Stop! Release him before you kill him!' **Daisuke's voice returns and brushes the depths of my mind.

"Tch." I open my fingers and drop him. With water in his eyes he falls to his side, retching for air. I feel like laughing at him.

**'Dark, what's wrong with you?'**

'Nothing, Daisuke.'

**'Nothing? You were close to seriously harming that guy!'**

I walk away from the pathetic excuse for a human balled on top of the ground and address his underlings.

"Any of you care to make a move?"

Movement catches in my peripheral vision and I blink, looking towards it. Some of the uniformed men were hurrying, carrying the unconscious form of Satoshi and half dragging a thrashing Risa. Already they were a good distance off. _Doesn't make much sense to tranquilize one and not the other. Maybe the dart kicked in._

**'Risa! Satoshi!'**

Daisuke wants to race for them. The pull that he creates is hard to ignore, but they are already too far for me to catch. _But, not if I turn into shadow. _Reloaded guns zoom to face at me. _It's dusk, but maybe there's not enough darkness out yet. _Fingers adjust on their triggers. I pool my magic – regardless of them – into my center and let it flow, spreading a deep coldness throughout my torso and limbs. My body was becoming lighter, insubstantial. A dart shoots through me, not effecting me in the least, but something is wrong. I can't stay as a shadow! It's entirely too fast in draining me. It has to be the silver in my system.

"He's mine! Stand down!"

They do as told. A familiar face comes out from the sea of idiots with guns.

"You're not going to play this safe and stay down?" I ask him. His gray eyes look amused, even in anger towards me.

"I'm not letting you go, or get away with beating me."

**'Dark! What are we going to do? Satoshi and Risa are getting farther and farther away!'**

He bends to pick up one of the many red darts littering the ground.

"You don't actually think you'll hit me with that? If you come close, I'll break you." I'm serious, though chuckling at his stupidity. He hesitates and gives me a calculating stare.

"You know," he laughs, "I'm liking you more and more. You _will _be mine." He runs forward with his hand raised. The dart glints with the orange-yellow of the setting sun. _He can't be serious. _I rush to meet him, wanting to cut him off before he can do whatever it is he really intends to do. He can't really mean to attack me head-to-head like this? The guy has got to be whacked. His eyes widen and he nearly stops. I reach, yanking the wrist of his hand that's holding the dart. His other snaps to something on his side. He picks out a single red button. Before I can go to knock it out his hands, he presses it.

My heart does the same thing it'd done before and my head goes back, mouth slightly open in semi-shock. _He has another device! _He starts forcing the arm in my hold down, pushing the dart closer to my chest. My footing gets harder to keep. It looks like this time I can't fight it so well – I'm losing my ground fast. He keeps trying to force me back, seeming to gain more and more strength against me. I twist a foot into the ground, angling for more purchase and arch my head back. Slinging brutally forward, I smash my forehead against him. It's just about the only thing left that I can do. He yelps, but doesn't let go. Instead, with a bloody nose, he glares at me evilly and continues to push the dart closer.

I rear back and try again in our struggle. Both of our eyes snap closed upon the impact. A dull thunk echoes. Needless to say my earlier headache comes back. We stare nose to nose, my purple into his almost silver, both determined to be the victor. Soon, I have to turn my head to gasp for air. My chest is getting tighter! In about one quick motion I'm forced to my knees, my back bent to touch the short grass behind me. I'm not exactly sure how it'd happened. Stars erupt past my vision, my body shaking from overstressed injuries. Twisting, I manage to keep the dart from sticking into my unguarded chest.

"Truly beautiful," he whispers against my straining.

"G-getoffme!"

"Why? We could have so much fun together."

Suddenly, he has my arms above my head. My legs are jerked out from under me, pinned under each of his. The position is an unmistakable one.

"We don't need this anymore," he says, pressing the little red button again. "You're already too weak to fight me." He grins at me, wiping the blood streaming from his nose onto his sleeve. I turn my head away in order to catch my chaotic breath, wanting to be rid of him.

"How does it feel, my pet?"

"Pet!" I snap my head back around. My eyes shine with a furious glint.

"Yes. You're not human, so instead of being qualified as my slave, you're now my pet."

"In your sick fantasies!"

"I can arrange that. But, you'll have to wait until after the first test, at least."

...This guy was actually intending on- … OH! HELL NO!

"You'd better get off me, or-"

"Or you'll what?" he mocks with a devious smile. "You can't escape."

I just realized he'd been using only one hand to hold my two over my head. His other's free with the tranq, setting it needle-down against my abdomen.

"You'll get it for this!" I growl.

"Maybe one day," he purrs. "But, know this..." He places the dart in his mouth to undo my shirt with his free hand. I struggle, trying to displace him. It doesn't work, and soon his hand in roaming my rib cage to touch across my toned chest. Daisuke shudders. I give a look that can kill. He bends to my ear, spitting out the dart into his hand, unfazed by my look of promised vengeance. _This guy's going to taste blood! _

"Know that as soon as this tranquilizer takes effect, I'm going to be kissing those delectable looking lips of yours. Wonder how soft they are. Or what they will taste like. I've never kissed something like you before."

"WHAT THE HELL-"

He jabs the tranq into my midriff. Even though I've lost my breath from the hit, there's no discomfort. Tense muscles relax instantly and pain becomes nothing but a memory. His hand is jerking the dart up and out while my thoughts unravel, becoming hard to hold onto. My head rolls sideways, my vision turning almost white...

'I'm sorry, Daisuke.'

Barely do I feel it when I'm being moved. The guy gets off me and walks into my view. He smiles at my glazed eyes. Anger stirs under the slur of drugs. He bends for my mouth, pressing into me. It's revolting. He jumps back a split second later, covering his mouth.

"What was that?"

"It looked like an electrical discharge, Sir," one toad answers him. _Is this behavior really acceptable to them?_

"Still fighting, eh?" he asks, grinning. "Fine, I'll wait until you're thoroughly out. Won't be but a few more seconds," he laughs, releasing his bruised lips.

'Daisuke?' I call, but the little redhead was gone. I'd accidentally sealed him off. Hope this means he won't know about this. ...This... inhuman... jerk is... going... to... to pay... as… soon as... I...

…...

…...

…... ...

**-****)*(****-**


	27. Chapter 27

**-****)*(****-**

Satoshi's POV 

Light. A greenish, wavy light. That's all I can be aware of with my eyes closed. That, and the surrounding presence of cool water, or something like it. No oxygen mask is on my face, but I am breathing easy. In fact, easier.

_ What's going on?_

Something clinks against thick glass. I lift my eyes open slowly. It takes such effort, but I focus to the figure standing in front of me. He studies me, then looks down at a monitor flickering. His pencil flies over his clipboard before he presses a button. He speaks to an intercom system, but his words can't penetrate the glass chamber I'm in. I shift about some and raise a hand to touch a finger against the thick glass surrounding me.

_ How did I get here?_

I tilt my head to look up, not understanding my predicament. A steal metal hatch is welded over me. I look back out. Light interrupts the greenish glow around me, expanding from an opening door. It captures my attention, illuminating the otherwise dark and sterile equipped room. None of the instruments are of any that I can recognize. Some are large, reminding me of metal cranes, others are simply small things. I jump, becoming fully awake in the span of an instant. My father is the one entering from the doorway, along with some woman assistant I've never seen before. She wears a white lab coat, her appearance made bold by the wealth of red-gold hair swinging down freely. Their steps have no sound to me as they walk across the black painted metal flooring. It reminds me of a cage.

I must be caught in some sort of trap! I move and open my mouth. Salt water immediately floods in. Fear kicks my heart into overdrive. I brace an arm against the glass and push down, instincts telling me to get above the water trying to drown me. I ram up into the hatch with my bare back, bruising most of it within the single hit. I squint my eyes shut, holding my mouth closed behind a hand. I grab and yank with my other above me, but I can't turn the hatch underwater. Suddenly, my father's slick tones come from some well placed waterproof speaker unit. The sounds of monitors can be heard in the background. Wires are hooked all over me, except on the swimming shorts I was put in.

"Satoshi."

Jerking, I open my eyes to glare at him. He has to look up at me, towards my position at the top of... whatever the hell it is I'm in!

"Relax. You're being treated inside this tank. It's already been an hour and you're still doing fine. There's no need to panic."

I cough, taking in water and sink, unable to get it back out. Wires tangle all around me. I try to throw them off, lifting backwards.

_ I'm going to die!_

I stretch against the glass, pushing at it from either side, utterly panicked. Of course it doesn't give in any way. Everything starts spinning. What strength I have begins weakening. _He's really going to watch me die here. _My chest burns, feeling as if it might explode.

"Sir, your son's vital signs are lowering. He isn't breathing."

Kei whips around to stare at the man hovering over the screen's monitors.

"Then drain the fluid!" he nearly yells.

"Satoshi," he turns back to me. I look at him hatefully, but it's lost in a bleariness.

Ducts open up underneath the chamber's metal interior, making a resonating clunking sound. Barely conscious, my own weight knocks me to my knees as the fluid flows past me. I fall as it empties, curling within the frame of the chamber to cough up what tastes like pure salt. It's worse than the ocean!

"Satoshi, are you alright? Sorry I can't lower the glass and let you out."

"What were you doing to me?" I wipe at my mouth with the back of a hand.

"We are currently trying to figure out what is happening to you. You know, your ancestors' book should have been more useful than it was. Its pages were so full of riddles, that I could barely tell what it was saying."

"What _did_ you learn?"

"That there is a pattern inside of a pattern. And, that you are very lucky."

"Care to explain that?"

"Maybe later. For now, we need to get you back into that fluid."

"Why am I not surprised? Are you trying to drown me?"

"Not exactly. Your body requires this. Haven't you been feeling dehydrated lately?"

"How could I require drowning?"

"Satoshi," he sounds exasperated. "You were doing fine before you woke up. It had already been an hour since you were prepped for the tank."

"So you've said. Can you explain that?" There's no way I could have been breathing underwater. But, I remember breathing when I'd first woken up...

"Feel behind your ears." His expression says he isn't kidding, even though this seems to be totally off topic. I do as told, feeling nothing unusual.

"Mind telling me what that was for? There's nothing back there. How about letting me out?"

"You might have to run your hand up instead of down to reveal them, and no. You need to soak some more."

I make an impatient noise. "You're trying to deem me nuts, aren't you?" He chuckles some and turns his microphone off where I can't hear the discussion between his assistant and him. _I've got to get out of here._

**-.-**

Dark's POV 

_Ugh... _

…_..._

…_..._

_ I've got to be dying... No way... could I live... too much... Ugh! My head!_

Why does it feel as though I've been cut up into finely chopped meat? Along with some of the previous aches still hounding after me? I must have been out awhile, though; my ribs aren't so sore, nor is my leg. Could a day have passed, maybe two?

"What?" I say thickly, coming to slowly. _This must be how it feels for Satoshi. _I could laugh at the thought.

An unfamiliar bedroom comes into focus. Everything is painted a fiery red color, including the roofing above me. It's severely overdone. I'm uncomfortable, so I pull at my arms. They don't move.

"What?" I say again, taking in the sight of my bandaged but otherwise naked chest, following it up towards my restrained hands. They were encased in silver gauntlets, locked and melded into the metal posts of the bed. I tried my legs. They were thickly cuffed and held by a tight chain flowing to the ending posts; also made of silver. I flap my wings almost desperately, catching against the underside of the bed frame. Someone had cut slits and pulled my wings through the mattress itself! I'm throughly captured. I can barely get the tips up where I can see them past the edges of the bed, let alone use them for anything.

_Oh boy! _

'Daisuke, you awake?'

**'Yeah... I think. What happened?' **He still isn't fully awake, or he'd be having a fit. That's coming soon, I'm sure.

'Sorry, my bad,' I apologize.

**'Did we get captured?' **he asks, spotting our surroundings.

'Guess we did. Know where we are?'

**'Not a clue. It's a bedroom, but it doesn't look homey.'**

'I was afraid you'd say that. And, no, it doesn't.'

**'It's just red – with only one dresser, a low lighted lamp and... it doesn't even have any windows! Dark, what is this?'**

'Don't freak out on me, Daisuke. I'll get us out of this.'

**'Have we been caught by some sort of pervert!' **Daisuke's awake now.

That reminds me. I spit and wipe my mouth against my shoulder.

"Bleh!"

**'What was that for?'**

'Nothing.' I'm not about to tell him about the kiss from another guy.

"Bleh!"

**'Something has bothered you. I can feel it, you know.'**

'Daisuke?'

**'Yeah.'**

'You remember that guy – the squad leader, whose name we don't even know?'

**'Ah huh...'**

'Well, put two and two together. We were knocked out and placed in a bedroom. Take it from there.'

**'… I get he's a pervert, but why- … Oh yuck! He didn't! Dark!' **he whines loudly. I flinch.

'I didn't exactly let him! So don't get mad at me!'

**'Mouthwash! Please!' **

Despite myself, I laugh.

**'It's not funny!'**

'It's not, but you are. Now shut up and help me think.'

**'...Ah, we don't have a way out of this.'**

'Not unless we use With, but I can't revert him yet, it's still too risky for him.'

The ordinary door creaks open, causing a sudden drop in our conversation.

'Sorry, Dai, I need you to be patient.'

**'Dark, what are you doing?'**

'Blocking you. I have a feeling things are going to get bad.'

**'Dark, stop! We're in this together! Besides, it's not right for you to do that.'**

'I'm really sorry, Daisuke. I'll do everything in my power for you, that includes keeping you from this.'

**'Don't-' **But, he gets sealed anyway.

I lift my head to get a better view, seeing past the figure walking in, and look out down a concrete hallway. Seems like this may just be an office made into a bedroom look-a-like. Meaning we're probably in a fairly important building. That means this freak does this sort of thing all the time and these people more than support it. I growl before the door can shut properly.

"Just what do you think you're doing?" I ask, disgusted. I hate this guy, I truly do.

He sets a red and black duffel bag down and bows next to me.

"I'm here to introduce myself properly. Dark Mousy, I am Triton Hurst and this is my private quarters. I hope you feel welcomed." He grins and brushes his ponytail back from over his shoulder. His nose still looks sore. That helps my mood some.

"Yeah, some welcome. May I ask what's with the bag?"

"Oh, this? This is just some items that's going to help me in my testing of you. So, what's it take to make you change back and forth?" he asks and deliberately invades my personal space.

"Ick! Mind not getting so close?"

"You know, you really are unique. I've never seen your color eyes, or hair before. And the best part is it's not from any sort of dye."

"Are you obsessed with me, or something?"

He thankfully backs up and gives me some space.

"I'm obsessed with the supernatural, yes. I like to have power and I ...like to play games."

_ Suggestive much?_

"So..." I glance around, disturbed by him. "These tests... what are you going to be doing?" I feel like I'm not changing the subject enough.

"You're not going to curse me out? Struggle violently? Anything?" He sounds disappointed.

"Maybe later."

"Fine. It's just you look so cute with the right amount of anger."

"Don't call me cute!"

"Ah! Struck a nerve, did I? Well, I noticed your body is constantly changing due to some elemental energy, or magic as some say, but the most drastic changes occur whenever your heart beats hard and fast. I'm not going to go through the list of chemicals that release and yadda yadda, but once triggered, you either grow, or shrink. It's fascinating! Especially once I learned of both your identities."

"How did you learn of that?"

"I have my connections." He winks. I shudder. "Also, my technology."

"So, affecting my heart is the best chance you have at controlling me?"

"Right. Your heart is your power. I'm going to be finding the trigger to it."

"What's with the gauntlets?"

"I studied where you focus your magic to. Your hands are completely covered by silver so you can't use any. The silver released in your system is adding to that effect. Oh, by the way, your bandages are from where we had to cut into you to get the threads out."

"What?"

"Yeah. The threads were too close to killing you. We had to remove them. I have fresh ones here that I'm debating whether on using, or not. I'm thinking I should just go with the nanos. They are must easier on the body and more likely to help me in my goals."

"How did you get the threads out?"

"Easy. They are what has helped me learn so much about you. I traced each one of them down in you body and removed them. I must say you're in great shape, Dark."

"Don't talk like that!"

"Like what, _Dark_."

"You are sickening."

"That's the look I adore!"

"Get out of here! Leave me alone!"

"Fuss all you want, no ones coming to help you. When I get back, we will see what causes you to transform," he says, then reaches for his duffel bag. He digs into it, pulling out a small white container. Opening it, he rubs a thumb across the contents of it. He closes it and puts it back.

"Now," he says, drawing close, "I want to see how you like this." He brings his thumb with some clear looking oil to my face.

"Touch me and you lose that digit."

"Come on, I can't have you biting me now."

He brings the thumb closer and I can smell a sweet fragrance. As much as I want to cause him pain and rid myself of him, I can't bring myself to chomping down on it. I jerk my head sideways. He follows.

"Stop!" I tilt my chin upwards.

"Don't make me use two hands," he warns.

"I'm seriously going to murder you!"

I turn towards him and bury my head into the pillow, biting it to keep him from getting to my mouth.

"Stubborn," he sighs. Then, he's pulling at the pillow. "Huh? Would you let go?" I snort a "no".

"Your ribs will be sore if I have to straddle you."

I mumble a horde of foul words to him, but don't let go. That oil can't be a good thing.

"Fine, then." The bed dips and then he's over me, one leg on either side of me.

"Geh tha _uck_ off!"

"My next step is to sit on you. Let me see your lips," he demands.

"O to _ell_!"

"You asked for it." The bastard smiles.

True to his word, he sits. I press into my pillow, still refusing to let go and shout.

"Feisty! Hmm..." Suddenly, he shifts, sliding lower. "Want me to go here?" he asks slyly. I feel a hand trail along my inner thigh. The pillow gets spit out.

"YOU'D BETTER REMOVE-"

"Gotcha!" He grabs my face and in the struggle that ensues, rubs my lower lip with the stuff. Immediately it feels swollen, turning numb.

"Just a ...little more," he pants from my struggles. His whole arm comes close. I lift up and latch on near his right shoulder. Unfortunately, all I get is his denim jacket. He tears loose and pins me, wiping oil all over my mouth. The same reaction happens again, accompanied by a slight burning.

"Do you have to be so temperamental?"

"Whad-" I stop, finding it hard to speak.

"What did I do?" he asks for me and laughs. He might as well as slapped me for all the extra anger it caused. "That's a special blend of oil meant to keep you from biting me. It also has another effect you'll be feeling later. When you start to get warm, that means it's working. Potent for being such a small amount, right? Developed it myself. Now, I want another kiss."

My chest rumbles with a deep force, and I issue a guttural growl. Amethyst eyes flash bright in the dim room. The message is clear: Touch me and someday, somehow, you'll die. He barely falters.

"Oh well, we'll see if you still act that cold here in the next few minutes." He gets up to leave. The bed rises from the release of his weight. The door soon shuts behind him with a small snap. He didn't even look back at me. _Arrogant prick! _

_What am I going to do now?_

**-.-**

Satoshi's POV 

"Alright, Sir, we are going to try this again. Are you ready? Don't breathe as you normally would," the doctor-type lab coat menace directs.

"Oh, so I'm suppose to "relax" because this is "natural" for me?" I quote him from the earlier failed attempt we'd had. "Why don't we just call this what it is – attempt at murder!" I'm furious, more so than I've been in awhile. The seal on my chest is mostly faded, so I don't see how Krad isn't bursting out. He can't possibly be in on this?

The doctor ignores my remark, settling instead on releasing more fluid into the tank. It was already past my knees and quickly fills up to my hips. Angered, I slosh by the edge of the rounded glass holding me in and fist a hand. Grunting, I hit with all I've got, keeping my knuckles pressed there as I let the pain cool me down. Red drips slide into the rising green liquid.

"Satoshi, that's something Krad would do," my father scolds me.

"Don't you dare compare me to him!"

"Temper. You've always been so good with it."

"Let me out!"

"I'm afraid you're too unstable right now for that."

He turns off my side of the speakers again, not bothering with me anymore. The fluid is rising past my chest now. I could never get use to this. Isn't it bad enough that I have to deal with something similar to this whenever Krad takes control? Krad... I can't feel him at all. Was something done to him? Makes sense if he's not in on this. Father can't have him getting loose now can he?

The fluid goes over my head for a third time. My eyes take a second to clear from being blurry. Everyone has that greenish look to them now, especially with all their white coats. They almost glow. My father's the only exception, being in his usual attire. Automatically I hold my breath. Father taps on the glass and shakes his head at me. I don't know what he expects me to do, but after nearly two minutes I'm struggling. Another minute passes, I knock against the glass, my chest burning furiously from the lack of oxygen. Speakers turn back on.

"Satoshi, I'm keeping the fluid in there this time. You'd better figure out how to work with this."

I look up at my father. He's dead serious. This time, he isn't going to drain the tank for me. I lay my forehead against the clear standing cylinder, feeling foolish. My heart feels like it has plummeted. It's not like I could expect much else from my_ father_.

"Sir, vitals are going down again."

"Leave him."

"Sir, they're dropping fast."

"Drain just a little then!" _Father_ is not happy.

My head comes above water and the usual sputtering begins, echoing around horribly in the confines of the tank.

"Alright, we try this differently. Doctor," he calls. The doctor already knows what to do and goes right to work. Someone comes around from behind the tank. I look up; the hatch was being pried opened loudly. A young man looks and reaches in. There is no avoiding him. He yanks me up by the arm as the doctor comes with a huge needle and syringe.

"What are you doing?" I fight and twist in the strong grip. Surprisingly, I win and fall back with a splash. I'm reached for again. This time I strike back. As his hand comes close, I grab, digging into his arm and jerk him towards me. He loses his balance and slips. I let go so he falls off the outer edge of the tank. The doctor looks at me, then towards my father.

"Try again," father orders. And, so they do. The young man glares hatefully at me and strikes as fast as a snake. I can't defend and he hoists me up. Enraged, I fight with everything I have, eventually kicking us both over the tank's glass. It's a good idea; he falls under me, breaking my fall. I roll off into a crouch, readying to sprint for the door, but something kicks me down. With a harsh noise, I connect face first with the metal flooring and lay stunned. Someone holds me down and the needle pricks into my arm. _I was so close._

"Now, you'll be more tolerable," my father says. "Put him back."

I go to struggle once picked up, but find my muscles not contracting enough. I'm almost limp. With barely any audible protests, the green comes again. I feel so distant. The hatch closes and I'm surrounded, but there's no burning in my chest. I blink and try to move, to see past the growing mist. But then again, I don't really care anymore. Everything feels too good. It's hard to remember why I was even so angry in the first place. I know I shouldn't be so ...happy, but it's beyond my control.

"Vitals are normal, Sir."

"See, Satoshi? That's all it takes."

Floating, I curl some, wanting sleep and to ignore the nuisances.

"Um, Sir? Perhaps the dosage was too high," a nervous voice trembles.

"It's okay, let him sleep."

**-****)*(****-**


	28. Chapter 28

**A/N:**** Fireflower19 here to tell you something: The next chapter has Triton ****_harassing_ Dark, if you know what I mean. You won't miss much besides that and the intro of a naughty maid that Satoshi has to deal with. Feel free to skip if that unsettles you. The one after next is safe again. **

**-****)*(****-**

Dark's POV 

This is not how I want to spend my time recovering; laying in someone else's bed. It doesn't feel right at all. In fact, I wish I could go bathe. Who knows what all has taken place in this poor excuse of a room. Daisuke is still firmly sealed. Hope he can forgive me, but I'm getting a horrible read on this Triton character. I have a feeling he may try... _something_. Anyway! Keyword is _try_ and I don't want Daisuke exposed to that kind of thing. Aren't I so nice? Especially when I'm really wanting to talk with him?

What kind of game is this Triton playing, anyway? It has been half an hour now and he still hasn't came back. What's he doing, trying to build some anticipation maybe? Darn, my jaw's weak. Darn oil! This tingling numbness is driving me crazy! At least I can talk now, before it was too difficult. It does no good to try to move. I can't go an inch in any direction. I'm so pissed off right now!

"Grr!" I give a harsh tug from my right arm. The metal doesn't give. I try to lift and shift around some, wanting to find a cooler area on the silky sheets. It's no use. I lean my head on my shoulder, steadily feeling my temperature rising. I'm getting more uncomfortable and more restless. This is cruel! I can't even get up for a glass of water!

**-.-**

Satoshi's POV 

I was warm. _How long has it been? _The familiar gesture of bringing my hand to my face helps bring reality back to me. I sit up, pushing past soft covers, and try to shake the induced sleep off. _What happened? Where am I? _The surroundings are vaguely familiar, but I can't place them. I remove my hand from in front of me and frown at the dimly lit walls. _Wait... this is... my old room. _It's almost as I'd left it way back ...when? _What is my father planning? _I don't really remember much past the doctor injecting me.

The nightstand catches my interest with an unopened bottle of water on its surface. That brings attention to the iv stuck in my bare arm. Naturally I examine it, reaching up to its pouch. It is unlabeled, so I go right for the needle and draw it out. I get up, ignoring the water and head for my large window. Someone placed me back in my gray jeans and has given me a sleeveless undershirt. Would've preferred it if they'd left me wet. The moon shines behind my curtain and I pull it back, revealing jail bars.

"I knew it."

A knock sounds at my door, respectfully tapping on the wood.

"Sir?" One maid named Shelley inquires after opening the door. I remember her from long ago as the shy one. She's nearly the same age as me.

"Yes?"

"Are you in need of anything?" She asks, coming in and shutting the door behind her.

"Not right now, thanks. You may leave, Shelley." It's a clear dismissal.

"Um..." she fidgets. "I'm not allowed to leave. I'm ordered to stay with you upon awakening, Sir."

"I'm guessing I'm not allowed to leave my room, either?" She shakes her head, her simple brown hair waving across the shoulders of her simple tan dress. It's the standard uniform for all the maids here.

"Unless... well," she blushes. "Unless you have to go down the hall. I'll have to escort you. I'm sorry!"

"It's not your place to apologize."

"You used to tell me that a lot. In fact, nearly everyday."

"You were only following orders."

"Yeah, well, I'm a living being of my own, even if I am serving under someone. His mistakes are my own because of it. So, I'm sorry." She smiles sadly. I can see the wistful look reflecting in her amber eyes from the moon's light. I let the curtain fall.

"You've changed, Sir," she says, noticing.

"And, so have you." She blushes again and remains quiet. Does this ever bring back memories.

"Sit down on the bed if you want," I tell her. I'd never spoken to her about knowing that her feet usually bother her, but I'd always found someway to make her sit down for awhile. And since my usual chair is missing, along with some of my other stuff, my bed is the only thing available aside from the floor and nightstand.

"Oh, Sir, I couldn't do that! It's not proper! I'm a maid after all."

I ignore her and walk around for the water bottle.

"Oh! Sir, you're suppose to have that iv in!" She'd just noticed it dangling past the bed.

"You won't put that in. The fault will be on me," I tell her in a simple tone, then take a sip of water. I don't expect her to fight me on this.

"O-okay..."

I place the water aside and sit gently on the bed.

"I want to know some things that has been going on around here. Will you be honest?"

"Yes, Sir," she answers earnestly, nodding quickly.

"Good." I'll have to be careful what all I ask. There has to be at least one camera hidden in here somewhere, and it's probably rigged with audio. I wasn't even up for a full minute before she'd came in. I flex my hand out for her.

"I want you to come sit and talk."

"S-sir! I can't join you up there! It's against code!"

"I won't have you on the floor. Now, sit. That's an order."

Refusal plays on her face, then a defeated look before she shuffles over and sits beside me.

"First off, what all have you heard?"

"Like what, Sir?" She keeps her face averted from me.

"Any strange conversations that didn't make any sense?"

"None, Sir."

"Has anything ever bothered you about my father?"

"As his maid, I can't say."

"Right, I understand." I pause after this.

"Sir?"

"Yes?"

"I missed you. Pardon me for asking, but why did you leave on your own so suddenly?"

"That's none of your concern, Shelley." She flinches.

"Sorry, Sir."

I can't tell her that Dark's soon-to-be revival was drawing Krad out. I really don't want to think back to those times. Another knock at my door breaks into my thoughts. Shelley jumps up. I rise as well.

"Sir, I've been ordered to replace Shelley." It was Val. Eighteen years old and I still don't trust her. Something about her just never has set well with me. Shelley bows in my direction.

"See you soon, Sir," she says with a carefully guarded expression, then brushes past the older girl and out the door. _Guess we were too friendly for my father's liking. _I look at Val as she steps in and closes the door on us. She's grown tall, with long dark hair framing her rounded face. Her dress is different, I noticed. It isn't the simple tan dress like usual, but a popular French maid costume. She watches me watching her, her onyx eyes glittering dangerously at me. I'm not liking this. She'd always acted strangely towards me.

"Why are you here?" I ask.

"'Cause I want to be," she answers without hesitation. "I've also cut the cameras off."

"Why?"

"You're not happy I did?" she pouts. "I cut them so you and I can get to know one another better. I say it's a good exchange for information, right? And, you can't get that with the cameras on. This could be your only chance." She grins at me. I furrow my brows at her.

"You can't be serious?" She can't be after what I'm thinking she's after. But, her costume makes sense if she is, and I can smell her rose scented perfume from here.

**-****)*(****-**


	29. Chapter 29

**A/N:**** You should already know the warning for this chapter: Sexual content! **

**-****)*(****-**

"Oh, I'm very serious. You left so quickly last time, that I didn't get the chance to seduce you like I'd wanted to. Well, that starts now."

"I'm four years younger than you and not interested. Does that count to you, or are you too far gone?"

"Too far gone," she smiles. "I'm going to get fired for this for sure, so you'd better make it worth it. I know I'll make it worth it for you," she purrs and bends to where her "assets" are shown off. I turn away, not going for this kind of vulgar play.

"I refuse."

"But, what about the information? I have some, you know? I will even share some right now to prove it!"

"Don't bother. I don't trust you."

"Satoshi!" She stomps her foot angrily. "I've always liked you, but you've never noticed me! Can't you give me one night?"

"No. You should save yourself." I'd already resigned myself to being alone.

"Satoshi," she sniffs, "you would be the only one ever..."

"Val, there are far better people than me out there." I face her again.

"There's someone else, isn't there? Who?" She studies my face furiously.

"No, I couldn't possibly. Now, please, excuse yourself and bring Shelley back."

"I refuse! I've already lost my job, so I might as well go ahead and disobey all orders. I want to know who this other person is! I want you!"

"Listen, I don't want you. I'm not going to ask you to leave again," I caution.

"You won't hit me, Satoshi. I know you." She walks with a heavy sashay, showing off a nice lithe figure to stand in front of me.

"Back off, Val," I warn. She was always very bold, often daring, but I would never have taken her to be this type of person. What has happened since I left?

"Just give me a chance? I'm begging you here." She draws her long lashes almost closed, wanting to play up the female role. I step around her and towards the door. No use in trying it, it is key coded shut. Wish Niwa was here. I face her again, not trusting her with my back turned.

"I said, back off!"

"Wow! I've never seen you get mad before!" She's not going to give.

"What is- VAL!" She pushes me against the door, pinning me by the wrists.

"You were always cold, not showing anything but proper manners. To hear you and see you like this gets my blood boiling! Come on, be a man," she whispers in my ear.

"It takes a lot to be a man, and I'm not throwing it away on you! Now, let go of me!" I try to break her hold, but all she does is tighten her grip.

"You know what I mean." She gives a throaty purr and lowers one of my arms to my side, putting a knee to against my hand; enabling one of hers free. My struggles aren't even registering to her as she tilts my head up and bends hers down. I close my eyes, not wanting to be a part of this. _How can she hold me this easily? Am I really this weak? _Her kiss jolts me unpleasantly, causing a sickening feeling in my stomach. Her forcing herself is making me very angry indeed. She pulls her mouth away.

"Satoshi, don't clam up. You have to part your lips, especially when my tongue touches. Like this." She swoops in and licks my lips. I jerk, hitting the back of my head hard against the door.

"You're very innocent, despite your attitude," she mocks.

"This act is not a game, it's serious!"

"So am I."

"And so was I when I said to back off!"

"Satoshi," she coos, "tonight, you're mine, whether you like it, or not."

She bends for me again. I've had enough. I'm not one for using magic on people, but I'm also not about to let her have her way with me. Energy gathers into my center, but before I can manipulate it, it drains away.

_What the? _

Her lips come on mine again and I try to summon more energy. It all collects in the right spot, but then just drains away again. Something is preventing me from using it. Suddenly, her slick tongue swipes across my lower lip. It feels odd and I tremble. She pulls away to look at me.

"Oh, I felt that. Giving in to desire, are we?"

"Shut up and get away from me," I pant, feeling sick enough to gag. Being intimate with anyone is _absolutely_ the _furthest_ thing from my mind.

She grabs me by the neck roughly and in my surprise I'm thrown to the floor.

"I think you like being dominated," she speculates, while getting on top of me. I'm still trying to recover from her having grabbed my throat too hard.

"You're crazy," I wheeze.

"You have such a graceful neck, you know." She rubs up and down in tight circles with her fingertips. Her dark hair covers me as she takes to nibbling along it. I buck, about to yell at her. Her tongue flicks against my heated skin, traveling to my ear. She pauses and comes up, her expression perplexed. She takes a hand and runs upwards where her tongue just was. Something splits, giving off a sharp pain. I grit my teeth.

"What's this?" she asks.

"I don't know. Stop touching it."

"Sorry... It looks strange. Like slits, or something. I see red inside, but there's no blood coming out. It's weird. Hmm... Now where were we?" The pinching eases as she lets go.

"Nowhere! Off! Now!" I command.

"Nope!"

She nibbles my chin and quickly goes for my lips. She has a hold of my bottom one before I know it and suckles hard. Her weight pushes onto me, trapping me further and her hand starts traveling. My mind reels. I'm frozen. With little pressure she stops over the zipper of my jeans. I unfreeze.

"Don't you dare touch me!"

She grins excitedly and applies more pressure. My breath hitches. I didn't approve of this. It isn't something I am familiar with, though common sense tells me what it is. If she's really going to go all the way, then this is the part where the raper forces the victim's body to respond. It's not the victim's fault, but I can see where they'd feel like it is. She puts more pressure, clearly pressing into me now.

"This is fun!" she giggles.

"You do realize you've throughly crossed the line?" My voice is strained.

"Kinda," she responds playfully, and presses even harder. I gasp and begin thrashing for all I'm worth.

"Whoa! Satoshi!" She pins me again. "I felt that, too."

"You are a very disturbed female!"

"Woman, thank you. I'm a woman."

"Not by my standards you're not!"

"Satoshi, what's wrong with you? You're a guy – you're suppose to react to this sort of thing!" She looks on the verge of tears, stung by my comment.

"Val, do you honestly wish I would take advantage of you? Think if our positions were reversed and I was some other guy. You'd fight against him, I'd hope."

"Yeah, but I'm not just some other woman."

"Granted, but you're not the one for me. It's wrong. And, think of long term consequences. You're giving up and taking away something that's irreplaceable. Part of that could be your life if you have a child. I'm not the sort who'd leave... You weren't trying for that, were you?" I'm beginning to suspect that was what she was after. I maybe young, but things have happened to other people even younger than me. That's a horrible truth.

"N-no," she says, her eyes going wide. "But, I still want you," she whines.

"It's unrequited. Now, get off of me and leave my room." She sees my demeanor and resolve isn't going to change. Whatever possessed her to do this leaves her.

Defeated, she lifts off and runs for the door, hurriedly punching in the code before looking back in humiliated turmoil. Finally, she goes crying down the hallway. That had been one of thee _worst_ experiences in all of my life. I can't even begin to explain how disgusting it had felt to have someone forcing themselves all over me. I'm thankful that Krad doesn't force in _that_ way. Recuperating, I pick myself up off the floor and go for my closet. I'm getting a bath, no matter what anyone else says otherwise. I have the code now, after all.

**-.-**

Dark's POV 

No matter how many times I rubbed against my shoulder the oil just wouldn't come all the way off. It has such a sweet taste that it's nasty. Water would be so nice.

That jerk said whatever else side effect this oil has would be effecting me when I begin getting warm. Well, I'm positively on fire! My skin is crawling and tingling. I can barely stand it! Is this some sort of allergic reaction that I'm having? What is in that oil? Its got to be a drug of some kind. Reactions are only this strong when they are involved. Darn it!

I hear walking coming from down the hall. This doesn't catch my interest like you might think. I'd been hearing the occasional walking on and off for awhile now. But when I hear a certain voice, my attention cuts on full alert. It was Risa's.

"You better not have been lying!" she says, rather loudly. She definitely wasn't using her indoor voice.

"Patience; we're almost there," comes Triton's dreaded baritones.

Their steps comes up to the door and it opens. Risa and I stare at one another for a minute; her at my bandages and me at her bruises. She's discolored in spots nearly all over her face and arms. Her clothes look as if they've been pulled and stretched out. In some places even ripped.

"What happened to her?" I yell viciously at Triton. Risa runs over to me.

"I did nothing. She was carted by one of my men and became difficult, so she got slapped into submission. As you can see, it wasn't done very well. She still has a smart mouth about her."

"When I get out of here, I'm sparing no one a beating. None of you will ever lay another hand against her." Risa pulls on one of the secure gauntlets that hold me. Not so much as the fingers will move.

"Alright then, let's get started," he says. "In theory, you should be able to change anytime you want to. Care to demonstrate before Risa has to get involved?"

"Risa," I address her and she jumps, "get under the bed – between my wings." She doesn't even nod, just rushes right under, slipping past my feathers. If he wants to get to her, then he'll have to get past me first.

"Oh shoot. I hadn't thought of that happening," he laughs. "No big deal, I'll just put you out if I have to."

"You leave him alone!" Risa commands from underneath the bed.

"I will if you come out. I wasn't about to hurt you anyway. You just have to do something for me."

My wing is brushed as she comes back out and I'm half tempted to her push her back under with it. Little shivers start pulsing through me from the brief contact. _What did he do to me?_

"Don't trust him, Risa," I warn. She stands, looking defiantly at Triton while he stares at us like at cat watching a bird.

"Chill. I'm just going to ask her to do something small. Risa," he directs towards her, "I want you to kiss Dark."

"WHAT! You nasty perv!" Risa says, stunned with embarrassment.

"..."

"Dark, you have nothing to say? I'll force the contact if I have to."

"You really are nasty." Risa adds.

"..." I still don't know what to say.

"You have thirty seconds before I force it," he says.

Risa turns to me uncertainly. She's not comfortable with this, especially since we'd already settled things in the past. I give her an apologetic look.

"Sorry," I tell her.

"It's not your fault," she says.

"I'm guessing you're not after a quick kiss on the cheek?" I direct hatefully towards Triton.

"No, I want lips." His face nearly splits in two. I sigh.

"Sick bastard," I mutter. "Risa, are you okay with this?"

"Do I have a choice? I don't want you hurt. Besides, kisses are your greeting, right? Let's just do this like one of those."

I nod. "Alright, but I can't move any. You're going to have to be the one that comes in close."

"Okay." She turns red. Composing herself, she leans in. I try to give her a reassuring look before we meet. My overly sensitive lips mold to hers and a current comes to life inside. I almost reel backwards, knowing this isn't my usual response, but something about it hooks me. I hesitate in ending the kiss, trying to have time to rid my eyes of the wildness that must be in them. What was wrong with me? We break with her bringing a hand to her lips and me breathing heavily. I try to hide it.

"Drat, that didn't do it like I thought it would," Triton mutters to himself. "Oh well, how do you like the side effects of my oil? Extreme aren't they?"

"What is it doing to me?" I ask, while breathing a little faster than I should be. It feels like my temperature has risen a few more degrees.

"Humans have their drugs and I have drugs for creatures like you. That oil in larger amounts can be the equivalence of an especially potent aphrodisiac. Surprised? You're just feeling a small bit of its strength."

"WHAT!" I shout, and as I do, feathers fly up from underneath the bed. "WHEN I GET MY HANDS ON YOU!"

Risa's eyes go wide. It looks as if she's blanked from the horror. This situation was turning out worst than I'd imagined.

"Oh, Dark, you have it backwards. It's when _I _get _my _hands on _you_. Just a little more of that oil, and with the right touches, you won't know anything except pleasure."

I blink, seeing red and shaking from fury. I have to calm down. He walks joyfully up to the bed and scoots Risa out of the way. The wonderful girl didn't want to leave me. She makes a noise of protest, but doesn't know what to do. Unsure, she begins looking around for anything that could be usable in a fight. He sits down on the bed, withstanding my furious glare. I'm not going to like whatever he has in mind to do, that much I am sure of.

"Tell me, what does it feel like when I press into your stomach like so?" He lifts a hand, placing it on my middle and pushes.

"YOU-" I go to tell him off, but a long moan cuts into my words. Horrified, I listen to my own out of control voice. But, I can't help it! I have to release some of the sensations somehow. It is maddening in its burning, and where pressure is applied, there builds something that explodes outward in small waves, rippling through my blood and into every part of my body. It nearly shoots me out of my mind. But I won't let him get to me.

"GET YOUR FILTHY HAND OFF ME!" I shout when the worst passes.

"Can't you put your pride aside and admit that you liked that?"

"Funny. I'm not liking this one bit!"

"Your body says otherwise," he smirks.

"You've had to trick my body. To hell with what it's saying!"

"Strong willed, aren't you? Hmm... But even that can be overcome." He reaches at the foot of the bed for his duffel bag, pausing when he notices it missing. He looks around for the only culprit that could have taken it – Risa. She's over by the door, trying to turn its handle. It won't budge. She looks up when she feels his eyes on her.

"Kick near the handle!" I yell. She prepares and kicks with all she has. It gives. She's running out before it's even done busting all the way open.

"She won't get far," he says, a little irritated, but otherwise unworried.

"Let her go, at least away from here."

"Awe, don't want her to see anything?"

"If you're not going to respect me, then respect her."

"Fine by me if it makes you more willing. But I want another taste of your lips, without the shock. Now," he commands.

"Damn you!" The curse is made with pure venom.

"I could kill-"

"Don't!" I shout, and close my eyes to shut things out, if only for a minute. I have to calm down!

"Then give me what I want and don't hold back. With what's in your system it should be fairly easy to lose yourself, anyway."

_Not in a million years, bub! _Everything is saying no, no matter what he says, but I will agree, for Risa's sake.

"Fine. Just... fine. Let's get it over with."

"Don't have that attitude when we kiss, or else."

"Fine! But if I'm allowed attitude now then let me just say you are one of the most top hated people in all of my centuries of existence!" I finish my outburst with steam nearly blowing out of my ears.

"You through?" he questions, almost bored. He doesn't waste another second, but swoops down onto me. I brace with what little warning I'm given, trying to look at this from a battle perspective. He catches onto my upper lip with full authority. I've never experienced something like this before. His texture is different from a woman's. Forgetting my bargain, I go to pull away. He pushes further and makes a noise of warning.

"Kiss me back," he mutters, breathing against me. I'll spare my thoughts for this part.

He nips at my lower lip and I suffer from serious guilt when it causes me to gasp. I respond to him, no matter what my mind says, or how I truly feel about the situation.

Thought begins folding under the despicable drug that should have never been created.

He takes the opportunity to turn it into an open mouthed kiss. His tongue sweeps across mine, bringing in his taste, swapping out with my own. Sadly, he doesn't taste like a bad guy. He tastes like sweet and tart, with something citrus mixed in. Even sadder is the fact that I like the taste and that it causes more fire to lace my system. Muscles contract with bursts of energy, making me feel wild in my almost hypnotized state. When he returns to nibbling on my lips, I greet him with a nip of my own.

Excited by it, he delves into the interior of my mouth again. I force his tongue back to do some exploring of my own. It's so hot and moist! He takes to suckling me, then pulls away, panting. I flick my tongue quickly to lick his upper lip before he can pull too far away, then I pant.

With him gone, my brain overpowers the drug once more. Dazed, I replay what horror had just taken place. I can't believe what happened. There couldn't be any way that was me. I have to be delusional, or in some kind of weird induced nightmare. This sort of thing isn't me, is it? I stare up at him, he stares down at me, both of us surprised by my actions; me more so than him.

_No way in hell that just happened! _

"You're amazing! I've never had such passion before! My, my! And the flavor is addictive. It's something zesty, with a hint of spice. I can't place it, but it suits you well. Phew," he blows out a breath.

"Leave me alone."

"Don't be like that. You've just had a taste of the good life. Take it."

"I said, leave me alone." He has gone too far; has played me too much.

"Okay, okay. But, I'll be back soon. I've decided to inject the nanos into your system."

**-****)*(****-**


	30. Chapter 30

**-****)*(****-**

He touches my shoulder and I explode. Something dangerous awakens in me. Heat mixes with cold. I jerk my head back and take a deep, shuddery breath. My insides had begun to change. I grunt.

"What's wrong with you?" He tenses, knowing something is amiss. He moves to safely watch me from afar. I shake my head, grabbing for better control. A small pained sound comes out because of my rotating gut. I hunch over what little I can, trying to fight it. I don't want to transform, but everything inside is already shifting. There isn't much choice left.

_ No! Please! For Daisuke's health!_

"Dark, you're not suppose to be able to use magic! Stop!" He's frightened. I would be too, if I was him. I writhe, a bad expression twisting my face, probably looking more than a little crazy. My heart throbs and expands greatly, sending my other organs into a frenzy. I'm feeling too tight! I've got to let it go, or else I'm going to tear! I had hoped this part of me was buried and gone. It's a side of me that can be entirely too deadly at times. Feathers swirl around, a wind picks up out of nowhere. I coil my growing muscles and pull against my restraints.

They don't want to give.

That's okay – I don't want to give up. With a screech of metal my right arm comes free and claws fully extend. The mattress behind me rips as I push at it with my enlarging wings. Fangs form over my teeth, and that's when the lights shatter. My shape really starts changing then; elongating and building.

_I shouldn't be letting this happen! I shouldn't be letting this happen! _

But the sound of clothes tearing apart doesn't stop. There's a few seconds of wrenching, but it doesn't take long for bones and flesh to sort it out together.

I howl out in my true form; the form given to me by the Hikaris: That of a monstrous black phoenix. I don't have the traditional beak, but a muzzle. Looking a lot like a bigger transformed With. I bare my fangs, hyped and wanting to kill the bastard in front of me for causing this.

_No going back now. _

It's hard to process more than the hatred coursing through me. Logical thoughts are nearly nonexistent like this. Partly, I don't really want to kill the guy, but on the other hand, only extreme conditions make this part of me possible._ This guy needs to die, right? It is okay, right? _

This is seriously a bad transformation. You can see why it messes me up and why I'm going to be feeling guilty later.

I tilt my feathery head. _Do I want to do this? _I stretch my muzzle over to him, then reel back. _I hate his scent!_ It gives a bad mental image.

Suddenly, the petrified guy rockets for the door. In one flowing movement I follow right behind him, my claws clicking as we exit to the hall's tiled floor. He turns backwards in the bright light of its unblown lights, seeing me like this for the first time. I flash sharp canines and growl, not about to let him go. Pounding out a few quick steps into an unnecessarily high, but fun leap, something with intense speed suddenly plows into my side, catching me in midair and causing it to rain a flurry of black feathers everywhere. Unguarded, I'm thrown to the white concrete wall, plastered to it by a netting that doesn't quite engulf me. It hurts, like it's electrocuting me. I tear it off and have a dart shot into me before I fully right myself. I look around to people encircling with weapons, filing out of random doors from all over, looking only half ready. They also look terrified. Some deafening warning alarm begins pounding the building.

I take a wing and use energy to sweep outwards like a blade. They fall as if knocked by the wind. A familiar scent catches my nose, rising from the stirred air. _Risa! _I run down the cleared halls, veering left at one junction. The place is decked out in nothing but white, with only a few scattered colors here or there. Her scent leads me to one of the many repeated office doors. Brushing against it, I hope maybe she'll hear me. She opens and looks more than stunned.

"I saw... black feathers... from... Dark?" Tears gather in her eyes. I raise a paw like a hand for her, but set it back down. Even like this I still realize I'm bigger than a horse and likely to hurt her if I so much as touch her. I stick my face down to her, nuzzling and cooing for added comfort, being very easy so as not to jar her. Her arms stretch shakily around my head and she gives a huge hug. Relief makes me giddy. I'm still the good guy to her.

"Dark, are you alright? That must have been painful."

_You have no idea.._

Footsteps race close by, echoing down the halls. Shouts sound off. The okay is given to eliminate me. I look at Risa.

_I can't leave her._

I turn sideways and try to make the same gesture as the day before, at the same time parting my wings to make room for her.

"You want me to get on?" she asks hesitantly. I make an impatient ruffle of feathers.

"Alright," she says, and climbs clumsily by my shoulders. I set down on all fours, making it easier for her to ride and secure her behind my wing joints. With my form the way it is, it's more natural for me to walk like this anyway. She grabs a hand full of black feathers and I begin an easy lope, wanting her to get used to riding before I sprint all out. She flattens to my neck.

"Dark!" Triton's shout rings ahead of him as he runs to a stop from a hall ahead, attempting a small blockade all on his own. What a maze this place is! He aims with some sort of rocket launcher. His men steadily get closer behind me, though they're still too far to do anything.

"I don't want to kill you. If you return to normal and come with me, I'll see to it that Risa is unharmed. Proceed and I fire!"

I don't slow, but cover Risa protectively within my feathers, making them stand on end. There isn't much room in the hall, but I'm going to try dodging his fire. He shoots and a net bursts out. So much for dodging. I'm forced to shield with a barrier, conscious of the fact that all together this was using entirely too much magic for Daisuke's body in one day. I can only hope that this form hasn't already taxed him too much.

The net drops harmlessly. I release the barrier to run again, not seeing the dart that was coming for my neck. He'd had a second weapon readily hidden behind that giant launcher! _How? _My usual quick reflexes are slower for fear of dislodging Risa and I don't dodge in time. It hits, injecting into a main vessel. The effects are felt immediately, unlike the last dart, but they're still not enough to drag me under just yet. Senses dull, but I keep puffing past Triton, giving him no choice but to hurry out of my way. There has to be an exit somewhere!

Shots ring out from Triton's men. They'd fired from further back than I thought they would. Perhaps it's the darts numbing fault that I can't tell whether I'm hit, or not. I turn left as soon as I'm able into another hallway and trip right into the wall. It's a dangerous collision that's over almost instantaneously. My strength fades just as fast. _Risa! Don't let that be your blood I'm seeing! _It's my last thought as blood runs down the wall in front of my nose.

**-****)*(****-**

**A/N: If you skipped the previous chapter for already explained reasons, then about the only thing you missed was Risa and Dark meeting for a bit before this. Not really important for the main plot, but I thought I'd just let you know. Risa wasn't just given free reign to the place, you know? I just don't want you thinking that's how it was. Thanks for reading!**


	31. Chapter 31

**-****)*(****-**

Satoshi's POV 

I decided not to pursue that wanted bath. Instead I just grabbed a shirt and ran out of my old room, only stopping at the bathroom to wash my face and have a chance to think. _What is the best way out of here?_ Even though I've seen no evidence of reinforcements past the Z I G 2 lock on my door, that doesn't lead me to believe that there's nothing else here to hinder in my escaping. On the contrary, it leads me to believe the very opposite. The Niwa residence isn't the only place capable of threatening traps. Admittedly, my father's aren't as original in design as Emiko's are.

The white towel is soft against my face as I dab it dry while looking up into the large pristine mirror. I study my reflection, then catch myself thinking of the tank. I have to chastise myself back into thinking of the easiest way out of here. If only Shelley wasn't so loyal as a maid I could trust her for help. Wish there was a way to speak with Niwa and know if he's already escaped. My gut feeling says he's still being held somewhere. There isn't any tension going around suggesting that there's been a break out of some kind. Course my father does own everything for the next few miles around. Niwa could be anywhere.

So, the easiest way out would be to go down the giant marble staircase to the first floor and through the main room, then past the parlor and out one of its side doors. From there, outside, it's not that hard to find corners enough to hide around. But, something is telling me that that's a bad choice. Trust my sixth sense to kick in without any logical information to support it. Must admit, though, that would be very easy. It's probably blocked by something seeing as how it's a first choice and all. If only I could figure out what my father was after, then I could get inside his track of thoughts well enough to at least get half a step ahead of him.

Agitated, I slap a hand to my face and brush limp blue hair from in front of my eyes. _What should I do? I can't stray all over the mansion, more cameras are sure to be filming in each different section. … I go with my first choice then, and wing it from there. _Being nervous, I don't realize my jitters are slowly turning into full blown nausea. Turning the brass handle to exit, cautiously I follow the cream-colored carpet to the left a ways, trailing past the deep reddish wood décor for the marble pattern on the right. A few small chandeliers light the extravagant hall above me, casting my shadow around multiple times eerily.

I'm starting to notice the rising nausea now. Movement catches my sight and I look past the upcoming stairs to the distant end of the hallway. A window tall enough for a grown man to walk through rests there, the chandeliers casting my reflection clearly back at me from within its night-darkened glass. A chill goes down my spine at the reflection. Ignoring it, I keep heading forward. From there, without warning, a burning fire rages to life, mixing inside with the chill. Krad yelps, echoing my own startled sound. I curl, holding my stomach. It's like all my internal organs are moving! Getting dizzy, barely aware of my surroundings anymore, I tilt sideways into the wall and slide down, slipping to the plushy carpet.

_What's happening? Ugh! It hurts so much!_

Its searing keeps on for what seems like hours. Right when I feel I'll go mad from it, it suddenly stops, like it has ...died. I sit up to catch my breath, extremely worried. Something has happened, and something whispers that it involves Niwa. I stand, wobbling, and try to be fast about putting one foot in front of the other. I don't understand this connection to him, but I have to move! My reflection shows again and this time something gold glints. I stop, my breath stopping along with me. Krad's eye visibly shines out from my left one, disturbing in its oddness. I cover it with a hand, frightened that I'm about to have to fight him for control. But, he's very weak and I barely hear his voice inside my head. It's more like I catch a wavering thought.

**'Dark...' **This is the first time I've ever heard Krad sound so worried.

"Niwa!" I shout, thoroughly convinced now that something terrible has happened to him. I run for the stairs, no longer having the luxury to take my time and sneak. Let someone come! I'll try defending with magic if I must!

**-.-**

Risa's POV 

I was never taught what to do if captured by some lunatics that only hunt inhuman creatures, but I was told not to play the hero if ever in a situation involving bad tempered men with guns. Did it count that I was along side the hero? Guess it did. We'd tried to escape, but it was no use. I don't exactly remember what all took place. I'd blacked out somehow. I do remember Dark as a tower of black feathers looking like some twist of a dragon and a bird. He was scary, but not towards me. I was scared for him; the men weren't taken his change so well. We were running... No, he was running; I was riding. There was a shout and some gun fire, and that's where I draw a blank.

Currently, I'm lying on a bed located who knows where, trying to control the panic that's awakening along with me. Doesn't last once I fully come to.

"Aaahh!" I jump up into a sitting position, making my head swim. It feels like a hammer was taken to the rest of my body. The room's not lit so I can't see anything. I crawl for the edge of the bed, nearly falling through the mattress when my hand sinks into its springs. I yell again and untangle my fingers from them. A black feather sticks to my palm. I know where I'm at now.

"Let me out of here, you jerks! I want to see Dark!"

No one answers. It's like I don't exist. Frustrated tears build. _I don't want to cry, I want to find a way out of here!_ Tears pour anyway, but that doesn't stop me. I get up and walk over to where the door is, paying little attention to my bruises while feeling along side the wall for guidance. Maybe I can break out again. But that hope is dashed when I jerk the door's handle. A lock has been placed on the door, crossing over the frame to the wall from on the outside. It barely wiggles when I pull on it. There's no way to kick that off.

**-.-**

Satoshi's POV 

Nothing greets me in my mad sprint. Clearing nearly half the grand stairs by jumping them, I round the corner for the parlor. I'm halfway past, heading for the door when someone breaks away from the shadowed wall behind me. His footsteps slap heavily against the polished wooden floor as he makes to catch me.

Before I come to the door a big hand comes around my face, blocking my mouth and nose, startling me worse as my air is abruptly cut off. Another hand grabs around my chest and arms. I struggle, automatically making as much noise as I can past his hands holding me. He pulls me tightly next to him and whispers harshly into my ear.

"Shh! Satoshi, it's me, Kosuke!" Immediately I relax and he releases me. I turn quickly to face him.

"We've got to go find Daisuke! Something has happened!"

"Where's he being held?" He's upset and worried, but goes straight for what he needs to know most. Unfortunately, I don't have that information. Krad could find Dark easily, but it's not like I can ask him for his help.

"I don't know! Where's the others? We need to hurry!"

"Emiko is with everyone else back in the tunnels. Daiki is still in no condition to help and we knew something was wrong when Riku kept passing out on us. Is there any place that you can think of that they might have taken Daisuke?"

"I know very little about what's below this house, but I don't think he's there. A maid by the name of Shelley might be able to help."

"Where's her quarters?"

"At the other end of the house. Cameras are all over there, by the way."

"Then, we can't go unless you know where they are and how we can get around them."

"I don't."

"Can you ask Krad where Dark is?"

The question surprises me.

"I can't ask Krad anything, especially if the topic is concerning Dark."

"Don't be so one tracked in your thoughts. I think Krad would help. He wants to fight Dark himself, right? Then, he'd better tell us where Daisuke is, fast."

"If I try to talk to Krad he'll try to take over."

"Please, Satoshi, just try. I have a feeling we don't have much time left and we don't have many good options to us anyway. Running around trying to find them won't help matters much." Kosuke sounds like a desperate father. I cringe, knowing full well I can't do what he's asking.

"Do you really know what you're asking? I'm not about to do it."

"Satoshi," he says and grabs my shoulders. I'd been about to turn away from him. "I hate doing this, but I truly believe we need Krad on this."

"What are you about to do?" I ask sceptically. _What can he possibly do?_

"Satoshi." He gets down to my level and stares me right in the eyes. Faltering some from tightly held emotions, he says, "Daisuke may already be dead. I'm sure you felt what happened."

Hearing this, seeing this, strikes a chord with me.

"What do you mean by 'already'?"

He shakes his head and gives a look of regret, like he hadn't mean to let that much slip.

"Daisuke is human, Dark is not. The human body can only take so much-"

"Are you saying Dark has killed Niwa?"

"You tell me? Can you feel either one of them?"

"No, you already know that! My Hikari magic doesn't have that ability unless I'm very close to the artwork itself! If you sensed them, then shouldn't you be able to tell us something?"

"My abilities aren't that good. What little tracking sense I have was lost a few minutes ago when whatever took place with Dark happened. His power all of a sudden deadlined on me. Satoshi, please."

My chest caves in. _Daisuke... No! _

"Daisuke can't be dead! That can't be what you're implying!" My shouts rise above the walls around us and I could care less about the noise.

"It's... possible, Satoshi," he speaks quietly, almost passively, as if accepting this is his son's fate.

"I don't believe you." My voice is toned down this time, cold and full of bitterness.

"I'm being honest and you're wasting precious time! I may not be able to sense him anymore, but I could tell he was nearing his last breaths!" He throws a hand over his own breaking heart. "I _want_ to find him and take him home! PLEASE, SATOSHI!"

I snap my teeth together at the pain that runs through with his words and his plea, hissing as I double over to the floor in a familiar way.

"Ugh!"

"I'm sorry to push so hard for this," Kosuke says from above me.

"Y-you purposely invoked emotion! You want Krad to come out!" I accuse.

"There doesn't seem to be any other way. Forgive me," he says as white feathers begin to swirl. He does look truly sorry, but that won't save me from the monster. My back splits and the pressured wings release. Pure gold rushes like pouring water past my face, and my body finally stops in its growing. Krad's presence is so weak that I'm still mostly at the forefront. His personality is very close, though.

I untangle from my position and study this precarious situation. The hand I'm looking at is definitely bigger, but my outfit hasn't changed. Krad's hair is also unrestrained, unlike normal. It's almost completely blocking my view.

"Find Dark, or it's all over, Krad," Kosuke says threateningly above me.

I look up and feel a wave of Krad's hatred boil. Immediately I look back down.

"Satoshi?"

I let the unanswered question hang as I stand and flare my... Krad's wings for balance, not being use to their weight. The right one isn't short like last time. It has spawned nearly back to full length. Still, it's sore.

"Is this because of using the seal?" Kosuke takes to speaking to himself.

** 'Dark is about a half mile away... must fly North.'**

Krad pulls for the door and I about trip.

**'This is my body! I will command it!' **he speaks angrily. 

'Wrong, Krad.'

**I think not. Only I can fly.'**

'You're not flying.'

**'Quit this petty nonsense!'**

He takes serious effort in trying to smother me away. We do trip then.

"Satoshi!" Kosuke shouts, alarmed by my convulsing.

"You have no idea what you've done!" I shout. "Keep back!"

I return to the internal struggle.

'Krad!'

**'Someone is coming.' **Krad suddenly backs off. Breathing heavy, I stand and bring a hand to my face, looking past the corner towards the stairs where there is a presence. Shelley has come to the top of them, staring down at us.

"Where's Master Satoshi?" she inquires fearfully, while gripping the sides of her dress tightly with white knuckles.

"Close by," Kosuke answers as if engaging in friendly conversation. "You wouldn't happen to know where my son is being kept, would you?"

"S-son? No, Sir. I-...is that wings? Are you an angel?" she questions at me. I shake my head no.

"She's being sincere, Kosuke. Let's go, I know where Niwa is." I don't like Krad's voice, but at least I don't have his accent, so I don't sound exactly like him.

"Wait!" She begins running down the stairs. Meanwhile, I keep heading for the door.

"Where's Master Satoshi? Why are you two-" She stops halfway towards us. I look back. She studies my jeans, then looks all the way up to my face. Recognition happens in the space of a second. She puts a hand to her mouth in shock.

"Let's go," Kosuke hurries.

How one can recognize me like this I don't understand. Normal people aren't suppose to transform, so how does she connect to the possibility?

"I want to help," Shelley whispers.

"Not this time."

The night air is such a welcome as we step out without a sound. A sweet breeze drifts by, making me unfurl my wings. Wildness hit, then I'm gone.

**-.-**

Risa's POV 

I'd cried myself to sleep on the bed. Dreams of bloody guns and feathers plagued me until I'd seen Riku. She told me to be strong and then I'd woken up. At first I thought it was because I was so hungry and thirsty. They've given me absolutely nothing in these past couple of days. That is, if it has only been a couple of days since the start of all this. There's no way to tell what time it is here. But, people began talking outside and soon I can distinguish Triton.

"I'm not ready to give up on him yet," he says.

_Is he talking about Niwa?_

"Sir, he's dead. Even if we keep his body alive." A young man accompanying Triton says with a hint of nervousness. I gasp.

_Niwa! Dark! _Fresh hot tears swim in my eyes.

"He's a magical creature, I'm not about to say our equipment is absolutely correct about him! Give me a break! I haven't even figured out if Dark's a spirit or a split personality yet!"

"Sorry, Sir!" The young man sounds frightened to have upset his leader.

"So, we try waking him with the girl's help."

The door is unlocked with the clink of a metal key and bright florescent light floods in. The two are nothing more than black silhouettes against the bright shine. Rudely, a spot light beams right into my face. I squeak from being blinded, then, roughly, I'm grabbed by a pair of tough hands. Callouses scrape all over my upper arm. It disgusts me to have them touch.

"We're going to see your friend now," Triton speaks from somewhere. The light is still shining and I can't see anything at all. It hurts it's so bright. "So be good." Clearly it's said as a warning.

I don't bother fighting, but play the good girl. Following them as they drag me along after them, desperately wanting to see Dark and Niwa. Trying to see now is a waste of time, but I can tell we are going in the same direction down the halls as before. Soon, we push past a pair of big double doors and the smell of antiseptic hits strongly. I shudder; it was like a hospital. I want to call out for Niwa, but keep quiet. We turn left, then go to a door on the immediate right. Sight returns a little, and I can just make out the light brown door before us. On my right, Triton opens it. We follow him in. I'm not prepared for what lays in front of me.

"Niwa!"

My legs give, but I pull myself right back up and clear the distance to him. Tubes are stuck in his arms, a smaller one in his nose, and another in his mouth, and from the looks of it, all the way down his throat. He looks like he's been in a train wreck. What isn't pale as death is black and blue. His chest for some reason caved in on itself, the rest of him is covered by a light blue hospital blanket. I can't keep from crying, causing the blanket to be dampen a darker blue in spots. His vibrant hair holds no spike whatsoever anymore. It's just spilling over most of his pillow. The color around his eyes and lids are black. The list could go on and on. But, what gets me most of all is that what is showing past the life saving machines looks way smaller than it should. There is suppose to be more to his build than this. _What have they done?_

"Is he really ...dead?" I almost can't ask.

"Going by what the charts say, he's practically brain dead. There is hardly anything going on up there. At the least, all bodily control functions are gone," Triton speaks.

"If it wasn't for you, none of this would have happened!" I ball my fist and run for him. He doesn't move, or dodge, but my hits do nothing. I cry even harder. This is all so pathetic!

"If you can't get a response out of him by in the morning, then I'll be conducting some of the harsher experiments. I really like this one, so try hard, okay?" Triton and his guard leaves, giving me the cold shoulder in the process. I choke as the door shuts and locks. Turning, I go back to Niwa's side.

"Wake up!"

I'm afraid to touch him.

"Please!"

**-.-**

Krad's POV 

At last I'm flying again. A smirk plays across my features. Satoshi's not even aware of my taking over. It's so easy once he lets his guard down.

I spare a glance at the figure keeping up about fifty feet below. _Kosuke..._

"I'll deal with you later," I promise and bank into a turn. There is a small updraft I find left by the earlier heat of the day. I use it to my advantage, lifting higher to fly beside the full of the moon. Once Dark's place of capture is in sight, they're going to be getting a fast and unexpected surprise diving swiftly on them. From this height it's going to be a blast! Dark's signature ties to that of one flat-roofed, ordinary, concrete building. Its location isn't far from any of the others similarly surrounding it. Maybe they thought hiding in plain sight was a good idea?

Large windows rise like domed bubbles above the concrete roofing, glowing a soft yellow into the darken sky. I circle once and Kosuke falls back, watching as my pattern reveals all the information he'd wanted to know. In an instant he's dashing through the front door. No alarms sound and I'm not sure how anyone missed him barging in, but all is quiet. For now. Perhaps Kosuke is taking out everyone and making my job easier.

My wings begin shaking as I circle round for a second time, the right one wants to fold on me. I lock them open and merely glide down with their remaining strength. Shame; I'd wanted to dive. I tap down and head for one of the strange windows. The concrete crunches lightly underneath me and it feels odd. My feet are bare, I notice. My usual outfit hadn't surfaced with me.

Kosuke, of course, is nowhere in sight below the glass frame. There is, however, a woman in blue sitting just behind a rather large desk. A steel door is blocked behind its massive size. Potted plants sit beside it, but that doesn't come close to covering the barren feel of the place. I sniff in distaste and look up across the roof. No other windows are situated up here past the steel door below. There will be no looking in farther from where I'm at. A smile comes to me and I glance to the woman again.

Raining glass doesn't have time to register before my grip around her throat does. Her scream isn't able to tear past my hand, but I feel it lodge there.

"Where is Dark?"

Her dark eyes are as frightened as a little bird's, and her olive skin blanches. Past her struggles I see her hand grip to something on her waist. Before she can pull the object all the way out I take it from almost nerveless fingers. Dropping the gun, I turn my stare back on her pretty little round face.

"I won't ask nicely a second time." My irises burn bright in promise.

Her pulled up black hair swings like mad, as if she's trying to say something. I drop her and she falls, coughing. I'm not afraid of her screaming; with that long of a hold she won't be able to. She looks up to me and I see horror growing on her face. Bending, I let my expression soften more and spread the wings that catch her attention so.

"You don't have long to live if you don't tell me," I whisper. Her eyes dart back to my own.

"I'm not sure who you're talking about... but, if you want to go past the door... t-then there's a switch on the desk. I have to push i-it... before the door will open and you can walk through." I narrow my eyes dangerously at the hope shining within hers. She flinches.

"You're lying." This statement is as good as a death sentence.

She gives an almost silent shout as I knock her flat to the floor. Keeping my hand pressed to the middle of her sternum, I apply more and more pressure, until there is almost crushing force. She moves what little she can, noiseless pleas coming fast from her frantic moving lips. Tears trails her cheeks and suddenly I can't do it anymore; I can't keep hurting her. I let up and withdraw my hand, confused at this.

"What is your pass code?" I ask, not entirely sure where the question had risen from.

She mouths the numbers: eight, seven, seven, eight, from her position on the floor. From behind the desk there's a little number board. I type the code in hurriedly and press the larger red button below them. Something flashes green and the door swings open. Metal slams shut behind me as I run down the white halls. But, it's not really me, I realize. It's Satoshi.

**-.-**

Satoshi's POV 

**'Wasn't expecting this...'**

'I took to heart the whole 'willingly merging' you mentioned yesterday.'

All these brightly lit halls look the same! I'll have to keep careful track of all my turns. So far no one has come from any of the doors littering up and down here.

**'So, you were with me the whole time? Somehow, I can't see you standing idly by while someone's getting hurt.'**

'I was with you enough at first to get the basics on flying. I'm getting stronger, Krad.'

I stop where four different halls meet, then quickly turn left. I'm not sensing Dark so much as Niwa.

** 'You're also becoming more like me, Satoshi.'**

'I'm starting to wonder if it's not the other way around. It didn't take much to stop you.'

Fury hits me like a tidal wave, and suddenly I'm thrown to the floor. Krad gets us back up and starts slamming repeatedly into the hard walls. Meanwhile, I'm taken aback by this behavior.

**'YOU'LL ALL PAY! EVERYONE OF YOU!'**

'KRAD! STOP!'

To move becomes a desperate struggle – all confusing as to who's in control. Something akin to sorrow pushes through me. What has gotten into Krad? He stills and I grab my aching head, pulling darn long, golden strands out of my face.

**'Dark bled here.'**

I take a calming breath while there's a chance.

**'Dark... was...' **Krad's voice trails off weakly. Before I've caught on to what this means, he passes out. And so does his form. I tilt to the side, crashing down on suddenly loose pillows of floating white. I jerk up as soon as I'm able, throwing off hand fulls of feathers. Thankfully, all the wild gold is gone from in front of my eyes; my short blue has been restored. Getting up, I brush myself off and continue with a brisk walk in the direction I'd sensed Niwa. Can't help but wonder why Krad passed out, though.

_ Has something happened to Dark?_

I break out into another run, seeing a big difference in my strides versus Krad's, but still making good time. _Please, let me just be in time._

**-.-**

Risa's POV 

None of the monitors Niwa's hooked to looks right. Shouldn't there be a screen somewhere that's keeping track of his heartbeats, and another watching out for his brain patterns? Maybe the readings aren't displayed in this room, but another room? Daisuke's giving me absolutely nothing to go on. No movement, no reactions, no nothing, except for this bad feeling that his health's plummeting worse.

I turn when I hear urgent running rushing past the door. From the blurred glass I can only make out something blue streak by. It is a very familiar blue. Not daring to believe, but not willing to let this go, I run the short distance to the door and quickly hit it hard with a palm, making an abrupt noise loud enough to draw attention.

"Hiwatari?" I strain to yell with my abused voice box. _Stupid tears!_

The footsteps falter before quickly heading back this way.

"Miss Harada?"

_It's really him! _

The light from the blurry glass is blocked as his figure comes up to it.

"Hiwatari! Can you open the door?"

"...No, it's impossible with the way this is built. Is Niwa in there with you?" He sounds out of breath from his running.

"Yes, and something isn't right, but I can't find where they have an emergency button to press for help!"

"Keep away from the window, I'll be right back!" He rushes off down the hall again.

_Hurry! _I jump and rock back and forth from apprehensive nerves, then press against the glass, waiting until I see him again before moving back. He's a lifeline that I don't want to be farther away from than I have to be. Stupid, I know. He comes back carrying something red and heavy. It might be a fire extinguisher. I move aside to the wall.

"Have you moved?"

"Yes, but how is knocking out the window going to help? It's too small to fit through!" The window is one of those tall, rectangular, just-to-see-what's-out-there types.

He doesn't answer me, but throws what _is_ a fire extinguisher into the glass. It hits hard and slides right down, leaving the glass intact without a scratch. Hiwatari mumbles something.

"Why didn't it break?" I ask, stunned it could survive such a hit.

No answer. He goes for it again and again, the blows becoming deafening. I clasp my hands over my ears and watch. He doesn't give up. I can hear a grunt given before each hit, and they're beginning to sound desperate. He stops and the extinguisher falls heavily to the floor.

"Hiwatari? Wouldn't it be better to hit against the door?" I ask.

"No," he pants. "It's a steel lock with a steel bar running right into the concrete. No force will be hard enough to break that. It's even locked by card key, so there's no way to even attempt picking it. Not that picking it would be possible without a tool."

Now that he's mentioned it, I can see a thin little slot above the handle of the door.

"There's no way to get the card key, is there?" Something also occurred to me as I was saying this. "And, why is it that no one's here trying to stop you? You're breaking and entering, right?"

"There's little to no chance of getting that card key and I _am_ breaking and entering. Good question." He hesitates a bit. "I should have seen somebody by now. We haven't exactly been quiet. Keep back, I'm going to try again."

I hear the extinguisher being hauled up. The pounding starts again, and I look to Niwa. It's impossible to get over how bad he looks. A tremendous crack startles me. Hiwatari was breaking through! His next hit doubles in excited force as he slings into it. More cracks spread.

"Yes! Come on!" I shout encouragingly at the damage.

The next hit sends the bottom of the extinguisher protruding through and the glass finally sprinkles down. He hits a few more times to knock away some of the sharp pieces still lodged within the frame.

"Alright! Now what?" I ask as his exhausted face can clearly be seen. He looks at me, then at Niwa. The expression that twist his features could be evil incarnate. He catches himself and leans on the outside of the door to finish catching his breath.

"Give me a second..." His hand covers over his racing heart.

"Are you okay?"

He only nods with his forehead pressed against the door.

**-****)*(****-**


	32. Chapter 32

**-****)*(****-**

Satoshi's POV 

**'Someone's going to die for this! Let me out, Master Satoshi! Everything will be easier this way!'**

I have to regain handle over my own temper before I can control Krad's, which is what I'm desperately trying to do. Niwa should _not _have suffered whatever treatment did this to him. _He's broken! _I can't even sense any of his aura anymore.

"You're not okay, are you, Hiwatari?" Risa speaks softly, reminding me that she is still watching me through the broken window.

"Please check on Niwa, Miss Harada. If you have to, feel for a pulse."

She quickly nods and leaves, giving me a little more time to deal with my awakened problem.

**'Dark is mine! Let me out! You have no right to hold me back!'**

'Just shut up, Krad!' _You've given me a headache!_

**'Curse this! Why have I been made so weak?'**

"Hiwatari, there is a pulse..." Risa calls with strange waver from within the room, gaining my attention. Something was the matter.

"What's the problem?" I ask, prompting her to tell me while rubbing my forehead soothingly against the cool door.

"It's irregular," she speaks softly, sounding frightened.

"Is it fast, or slow?" I cough to clear a small tickle past my throat.

"Slow," she answers. "Too slow."

A vision of Dark draped, bruised, sickly and very bloody over an old cot flashes before my eyes, totally blocking out the view of the light brown door I'm leaning on. I jump away, confused by this... memory? I barely take notice of the old stone walls and lit candle stands before the memory whisks away and the door with the fallen extinguisher beside it comes back into view.

'Krad?' I question.

His growing frustration begins to give him a little more strength.

**'You won't stop me from going in, Master Satoshi,' **he promises in tones rich with anger.

'This vibe you're giving off makes no sense, Krad. Why have you hurt Dark before if he's the thing you care about most?' _Could Krad at some point really have cared for Dark?_

**'There are things you wouldn't understand!'**

'And, whose fault would that be?'

**'Love hurts... that's all you need to know about bonds.'**

'Oh, please! You don't know the meaning of love!'

**'Dark is half of me, how could I not love him? Enough of this! Satoshi, give me control!'**

'That's a laughable request, if I take it seriously.'

"Hiwatari, you better do something before someone spots you out there," Risa says, coming up next to me again by the broken window. I straighten fully and keep my expressions as smooth as possible. I glance up and down the deserted halls and have a sudden, disturbing thought.

"People are bound to know I'm here by now. The fact that no one has bothered to interfere leads me to believe that they want me here for some reason or another."

_Unless Kosuke's the reason... No, he's just one man. He couldn't have stopped so many people, especially without making a loud fuss._

"That doesn't make sense," Risa says, studying my face. I look into hers.

"It doesn't? We don't know what they're thinking, or planning for that matter."

"Please don't tell me you've been caught in a trap," she says worriedly.

**'…'**

'What are you up to, Krad?' Warm magic is starting to build inside my torso, and I'd immediately directed my attention to him.

**'You may not have control over this, but I do. Relax.'**

"What's wrong, Hiwatari? You look a little scared," came Risa's shaky voice.

I fix my blank stare and grit my teeth in frustration.

"Miss Harada, I need you to move away from the window again."

She tilts her head in question, mouth turned into a frown, clearly trying to figure out what it is I'm up to.

"Now, please," I command with a little impatience. Something about my tone causes her to nod briskly and back away out of sight.

'Krad, don't do it! It's close to suicide to turn into light in your condition!'

**'It would be easier if you let me out. You're not going to stop me from going in there.'**

The magic swells, pouring into my limbs, creating a powerful burn. I attempt to cancel it, but can only slow the process down.

'Darn it!'

**'Bright lightings make it much easier for me, Satoshi. Stop fighting.'**

'Doesn't look like I have much of a choice!'

The burning finally crests and I'm released into a blaze, thrown into disorientation as Krad swirls us through the broken window. If there would have been time I could have appreciated his fast precision, but it was all over before then. First thing I notice, besides my feet making contact with the flooring again, is the fact that I haven't reformed as Krad, but as myself. Why would Krad have given up such a perfect opportunity to take control? Second thing I notice is Risa right in front of me, looking as if dazed. Suppose I frightened her.

"S-sorry..." I mumble a bit weakly, then tilt forward. _Oh no... _It was just as draining as the last time, if not more so. Amazingly, Risa catches me and gently eases us to the floor. I blink and will the heaviness to go away, but my weight just presses into her more.

"Hiwatari?" she asks, her voice high. I manage to lift my head off her shoulder and push away from her, only to end up falling to the floor on my side.

"Don't hurt yourself! It's okay," she says, getting on her hands and knees towards me.

"Don't. It's not okay."

**'I am not going to be able to use that trick again. ...In fact, I am not going to be able to use anymore tricks at all,' **Krad says, fading into the far back.

"What do you mean, Hiwatari?" Risa asks.

'Finally out of power, Krad?'

"Never mind," I say out loud. While staying still to recover some, and waiting for an answer from a still silent Krad, a hand brushes through my hair. Startled, I look up into doe brown eyes.

"You're what we saw at the Niwa household a few nights ago, aren't you?" She smiles. "You're such an enigma."

I don't know how to reply. Her utter acceptance is more than I can handle at the moment. All that rises up past the blank are those darn yearning feelings again.

"...Ah... Shouldn't... Never mind." I'm caught off balance, it's better not to say anything. Picking myself up is difficult, but eventually we sit opposite of one another.

"I hope this wasn't a mistake." I'm the first one to break the silence.

"Exactly how are _we_ going to get out of here?" Risa questions, focusing on herself and Niwa. She figures I can do the light thing whenever I want.

"I'll... have to work on that..." All the excitement hadn't left me much time to think ahead. All I'd wanted was to get inside.

"How is Niwa's pulse now?" I ask. She gets up to check. Her bruises stand out from this angle; I'd hardly noticed them before. Anger twinges.

"Still the same," she says to me.

"Then, it's probably due to drugs, meaning for now he's probably pretty much stable."

She looks only vaguely relieved at the news.

"If his vitals were to drop below a certain point, I'm sure someone would be sent in to deal with it right away, hence no emergency call button." She looks fairly reassured and nods to me.

"I have an idea about us getting out," she says. I raise a brow in disbelief and she chews at her bottom lip in nervousness. It's not until she moves towards me to sit back down do I realize I'd been staring at the simple gesture. I could laugh. Without Krad's overbearing presence to keep in check, it's easier to get sidetracked.

"You could wait until morning when they send someone to check on me and Niwa, then, you know, take them out?"

"No. One, they'd see the broken window and extinguisher outside and know. Two, I'm not a fighter. And, three, they already know I'm here."

"That makes no sense! Why not have stopped you already?"

"How-" I stop mid-sentence. Something had dawned on me – a plausible explanation for the lack of security at both my father's mansion and here, of Val having gotten away with cutting the cameras and being in a position to do what she did, and a reasoning for them letting me be here like this. ...Which means any minute someone's going to be sent for me.

"W-what? ...What is it, Hiwatari?" Risa asks breathlessly.

"Wouldn't you know _now _I would figure it out?" Angrily I swipe at my hair.

"What?" Risa asks again, impatiently.

"The reason security's been so lax is because I've been playing right into their hands! Everything has happened just the way they wanted it! After studying us some, they brought opportunity for us to be together, still trying to see what triggers what! I've been so stupid! But, the big question is, what is my father after in doing all this?"

"You're not nearly clever enough, boy."

I stand up to spin towards the door, to where the voice had come from. Risa gasps."Triton," she says. He laughs.

"Yes, little darling, it's me." His sleek face comes into view past the broken window.

"Nice to meet you, Satoshi. But, I thought you'd be better than this. Of course, none of us can guess, or care for that matter, what your father's wanting out of all this." His sneer makes me want to floor him. So slight, Krad stirs, wanting to do the very same thing.

"But, shouldn't you have figured what all has happened has been nothing but a test? Val was... _persuaded _to go to you after having been set up with the knowledge of the cameras to make you feel safe enough to be yourself. Shame on you for not reacting and having broke her heart." He clicks his tongue in disapproving sounds and shakes his head a few times. "Then sweet Kosuke was allowed onto the scene. We'd hoped that he could do what Val could not." His eyes light up and he grins nastily. "Hope paid off as we watched you. Of course, you then made your way easily over here, saving us the trouble of transportation. Nearly killed our innocent guard, but it was worth it. You've revealed a good bit about yourself tonight. Your father's reports don't come with near the amount of information they should."

"How long have you enjoyed jerking people around?" I ask, my fists clenching at my sides, digging into my palms with aggression. Something unfamiliar was bubbling up inside. "No, wait," I correct. "I think the question should be: How much longer do you _have_ to jerk people around?" If anything, his smile widens at me.

"I'm so lucky to have such lively pets," he says. I didn't know I had hackles until they bristle from his comment. "Pets?"

"Oh, no!" Risa whispers. I don't dare take my eyes away from the door and Triton to look at her.

"Hiwatari, you can't let that guy get a hold of you!" she warns in a rush. "He's twisted! Whenever he finds something paranormal that interests him, he becomes a sick, forceful pervert! 'Pet' is one of the words he used for Dark, I heard him!"

"You don't mean-"

"Yes! He tried to force himself on Dark!" she says, outraged. I didn't want to think of Niwa being placed into such a situation, o**r Dark.**

I felt my irises burn, my vision sharpen and watched as Triton's smile slowly vanished as sickened fury points his way. He quickly moves out of sight of the broken window. In a split second, everything slows dramatically. I can feel it as it's happening. I break into a run, my mind already proceeding ahead of my better judgment, calculations already ahead of what I can clearly understand. I go with it, understanding enough to know that in the end I'll get what I want.

The lights on the outside catch me perfectly, allowing me to instantly flow through the broken opening and to the outside, where he stands waiting alone. My form comes together and before he knows I'm there, I grip his throat with a gloved hand, using my momentum to slam him into the concrete wall behind him.

"What have you done?" It's nothing short of a roar. I put more pressure on his throat, just barely holding the urge to kill at bay. His eyes water, and fear with exhilaration mixes there. He glances behind me. Abruptly I let go to turn around. Some soldier holds a rifle... No, a tranquilizer rifle. He shoots and it goes right through the long feathers of my wing, completely missing its target. I growl and sling a hand laced with magic his way, knocking the gun from his hands as if I'd done it with my own. I then direct a feather medium his way, imploding the area he's by.

"Magnificent," Triton whispers, gaining my attention again. He has a look that's far from that of a person fearing for his life. I want to correct that, and yet I have to be careful of what he has to have up his sleeves.

"You won't get loose this time," I promise, while charging another hand with magic.

"You won't win. It's all too easy to defeat you right now." He actually has the nerve to be cocky towards me!

I throw my power and him up against the wall a second time and hold him there. He grunts and chokes, kicking at the wall behind him in an attempt to get loose.

"Pray tell, how would it be easy for you to defeat me right now? From what I can see, your only guard is lying on the floor in near pieces, unconscious, and far from being able to aid you."

"Re-release me!" he chokes past my power's grip.

Curious, and wanting to prolong his suffering, I heed his command. He falls, catching his breath and laughs. It's a raspy sound – made from a very sore throat – but a laugh all the same.

"Your end is close," I warn him. He stands with a stagger, bringing a wrist up to swipe at his bit and bleeding lip.

"That's where you're wrong, Satoshi... Or do I dare say, Krad?" My eyes widen and he laughs harder than before. "Didn't noticed, eh?" he asks cunningly. "You're just like your other self. In fact, I honestly can't tell you two apart!" He shrugs in a helpless gesture.

I stare down at my gloved hands – my wings. Everything still feels natural; a part of me.

"The line has been blurred, hasn't it? It goes to prove that you are only one person after all, and also a monster, reborn from long ago," Triton declares, but I hear him as if in a tunnel.

_Who am I?_

"You're wrong," I say out loud. "You're wrong!" Taking power, I slap him brutally. He falls down, quiet at last, but the ringing in my ears won't stop.

_I don't know who I am! _

Blinding tears come to my eyes. I try to blink them away and turn my aggression to the wall beside me. My hand comes away from it bleeding through the pure white of the glove. A small voice comes to me from the pain.

"Hiwatari?" it calls. Drawn, I look over to the familiar brown door with its broken window. Staring was a pair of doe brown eyes, warming in their depths. Hatred for them comes on strong, but once she smiles at me the hatred plummets. I make my way over slowly, feeling like I'm being torn into two all the while.

"Let me see your hurt hand."

I hesitantly place it in her extended one and she tugs it closer. Warmth finally reaches through to me and I smile at her concern. She looks up and smiles back. It's not until she gasps that I notice the shuffling sounds coming from behind me. I yank my hand back and spin just in time to see and hear the report of a firearm from Triton. Instinctively, my tremendous speed kicks back in, giving me time to see the red dart streaking for me, yet there is a decision to be made here: dodge and let Risa get a direct hit to the head – no doubt killing her – or take it myself.

I decide to take it and cover the window protectively, wings outstretched, but Triton's triumphant smile brings me to killing mode again. I sidestep, forgetting about the deadly consequences and only see Triton's victory slowly fading from off his face. Grinning, I'm just about to launch myself at him when something stops me. The call of death rings. It's an instant where life recognizes its time is over. It roots and freezes me.

Swallowing the guilt – the regret already welling up – I turn back to Risa. Seeming in slow motion, the dart pierces through the air, aiming right into her forehead. Her eyes are already coming closed in silent acceptance. Strange how some people can see the end, even when it's coming so fast.

Panicking, I do the only thing I can think to do. I snatch at the air, miraculously feeling my fingers tighten on the syringe part of the dart, and pull it down. Things quickly unwind back to normal speed, and even as I hear Risa make a startled noise and I take the dart safely to my side, soldiers march into the hall from every possible direction.

"Well done!" Triton applauds, truly impressed. "I have much I can learn from you," he continues.

"I don't-" Going to step forward towards him, I stumble over myself and he goes to laughing.

"I think some_one_ has saved me the trouble of shooting another dart."

_No! _Raising my left hand shows the needle piercing into the glove's outer, lower palm. _Unbelievable! _I'd ended up getting injected! It was only a small amount of the stuff, but that didn't matter.

Not about to let him go, I try to reach, but my legs are too loose. I twist and fall to my back, sprawling out while hearing his pleased laughter ringing all over the place. The halls turn even more impossibly white, and everyone becomes swallowed in it.

"Hiwatari!"

Reaching for Risa, I don't even note the return of my own pale hand. Soon, it flops down, useless like the rest of me.

"Awe, he's reverted," Triton says, disappointed. Some unknown someone hauls me up. "Soon I'll find what makes you both tick." He's so sure of himself, and here I am unable to spoil it for him.

_He might be right though... He might just find out... about everything._

Then, I'm pulled away into absolute nothingness, Risa's cries being the last thing I hear.

**-****)*(****-**

**I know I'm late, sorry! All the reviews were wonderful and I believe I messaged all back. But there is one.. **

**Announcement here for one reviewer called 'hikari'! You don't allow a link to message back! Your review made my ego go up a notch, or two and I wanted to thank you! I read all my reviews, so of course I read yours. :)**

**All my fellow readers are wonderful. So many... Wow! *bows **

**All reviews have been wonderful and helpful. Hope my chapter was a good read. Till next time! Thanks friends!**


	33. Chapter 33

**-****)*(****-**

Satoshi's POV 

"Sir! He's coming out of it!" someone yells from directly above me. I thrash harder and toss my head around, giving a loud, heartfelt moan to clarify my distress about being sore, angry and absolutely lost as to why all this was. Normally I'm not such a brat, but I'm not in a very good mood.

"Then give him a full tranq!" someone else shouts. The demand sounded pitifully scared.

Anger is not a good mix for me. Without much thought, my arm shoots straight up along with a tightly balled fist, connecting to whomever was unfortunate enough to have picked me up. His helmet flies off, clattering onto the polished floor and landing somewhere close behind us.

"Argh!" he shouts. It might have hurt him just a little bit.

"No! Don't tranq him again. He'll be out for at least twenty-four _more_ hours if you do that. Just hurry! I'll give him something else," Triton says.

I open my eyes, finding that familiar voice of his bringing the fight raging back to life inside me. To hell with low blood pressure, my heart was already pumping faster. The now helmet-less soldier glances down apprehensively at me.

"S-sir he's-" I don't give him time to finish tattling on me, but direct a chop into his neck. We go down with a clatter as bad as his helmet's, the only difference is him sputtering and gagging all over the place. I struggle to roll out from underneath him, fighting what grogginess I still have before anyone can recapture me. But, with this many soldiers it will surely be impossible. Won't stop me from trying. Darn the tranquilizer that got me in the hand!

"I knew we should have taken him straight to my room instead of running those few tests first," Triton complains, bringing a hand to his forehead. Good, I'm not the only one with a headache.

_ How long was I out for?_

I make a wild dash past one set of arms and end up locked in another more bigger pair. I make to twist out of his grip, using some police required training, but this guy knows how to counter and it's not hard with his immense size added to his favor. He blocks my move easily and jerks my arm in one punishing thrust behind my back while pressing his other arm restrictively against my throat, hampering my air as well as my movements. It's a sleeper hold... and an effective one.

"Don't kill him," Triton says, purely amused by the skirmish. He walks up and I'm released, only to be put into a different hold with my hands held firmly behind me. Triton's hand comes up underneath my chin as I recapture lost air, directing my head up towards him. He looks into my eyes, studies my facial features, and goes on down past my neck, giving the impression that he's swallowing everything about me. It's entirely dirty and entirely unappreciated. I try to yank away, only to be held tighter by my brute of a captor. By the time Triton looks back into my face he's wearing a wicked expression.

"No!" I refuse flat out. My self preservation was kicking into overdrive.

"Well, you're not Dark, but you're definitely on my list. Won't you change back for me?"

"I'm Satoshi Hikari, and I'm warning you against touching me. I don't play games, especially with the likes of lowlifes such as yourself."

"Oh? I can change that. And, what's with the name, Satoshi? I thought we had already discussed how you're nothing but your own worst monster. Don't try to deny it."

I grin just to throw him off. "You know nothing!" My words are a snarl, creating an ill effect to go along with my grin. I refuse to believe his words. _My anger and Krad's weakened state is what allowed the confusing mix over, nothing more!_

"I doubt that," he says, answering my earlier snarl, and lets go of my face. "You see, I have this little theory. But, that's for later. Right now, I want to get you somewhere." He turns to walk away.

"Wait! How's Niwa and Harada? What have you done with them?"

"They're still here. Course, Dark's still in a bad way. It's sad really. I'd wanted to do so much to him." He stops to give me a smirking side glance, enjoying my building rage. "Maybe I'll have a go with that Risa instead, hmm?"

"You filth! Stay away from her! Hmph...!"

If it wasn't for the guy behind me holding me up I would sink to the floor. Krad was invoked now. Triton's full attention swerves back to me and he moves to stand close, placing a hand on my right arm. Immediately, as if this was a silent cue, the guy behind lets go of it.

"Go ahead," Triton smiles. "Place it over your chest. Show me how close you are to becoming _your _Krad."

Just to spite him, I keep my arm relaxed and held down, continuing to glare while slowly and carefully getting my feet back underneath me. I quickly pump magic into my center and channel it to my recently freed hand. He doesn't realize this until it's too late. My hand comes up and he goes backwards as if shoved, but I feel something clench inside. It causes me to double over just as the guy behind reaches to retain my arm. Red drops splatter noisily to my feet, issuing steadily from my nose. Krad's presence falters. My body is still weak from all the usage in the previous fight. _Not a good sign, but at least this means I haven't been out for very long. _

"That was good," Triton says, quickly getting to his feet. I hadn't managed but to thrown him a few meters. What could his soldiers be thinking in all this display of the supernatural? They're just staring, quiet and stiff in their lined up, jumpy little movements.

"But," he says walking up to me, causing every fiber of my being to cringe. "You need to be more hurtful with your attacks." He rears a hand back and smacks me hard across the face. The guy behind lets go at the exact same moment, causing me to go slinging sideways from the slap's momentum. I stagger to stay on my feet, seeing stars for an instant too long. My nose is pouring when I face back to him. I'm startled when I see he's striking for me again. Before I'm able to block, I'm hit again, and again in the face, each attack becoming stronger, until I become disoriented and fall, ending up close to one of the walls. Not letting the impossible white spin around for more than a few seconds, I roll to pick myself up, my eardrums feeling just as busted as my face – which is on fire from his repeated hits. I spit to get rid of the taste of blood seeping into my mouth, and then he's on me. I don't even make it all the way back up.

"Ack!" I yelp as another smack rings loudly down the hallway, and go sliding down the nearby wall this time.

"Stay down, little firecracker, or else," he warns, standing over me very happy like. This must be a little humiliation payback for what he'd suffered during our last fight. Using a thumb, I fling some blood off my upper lip.

Continuing to glare hatefully, I stand up, still wanting to rebel, not heeding the protests from my many new aches. A vendetta is a powerful thing. Blood is smeared by my hand, decorating that clean overbearing whiteness beside me. He smiles as if proud of my spirited attitude. That smile and a large shadow coming up from behind are the last things I see.

**-.-**

_ Well, knocking me out is another way of getting me unconscious._

This time, I do have to wait for my low blood pressure to return to normal. Still waiting, I open my eyes just enough to see, and with nothing more than a dimly lit lamp close by, make out only being engulfed in red. Bright red. Nothing but red. Tugging my arm brings some terror.

_What?_

I couldn't move it, nor my other, nor my legs. I couldn't move from my position any at all! My eyes snap open the rest of the way – blood pressure steadily rising. The room is what is so drastically red. All the walls are so heavily painted in the single primary color. A simple one drawer nightstand is placed in one corner and there are no windows to speak of. That fact by itself under normal circumstances would set off numerous alarms with me.

_ Not good!_

My wrists are handcuffed to a large bed's wooden headboard and my ankles cuffed and linked tightly with small chains, reaching all the way to the foot of it. A bit of a whimper escapes from me. I'm far from losing my cool, but all the cuffs are made of silver, or at least have silver mixed heavily within its compositions. Simply put, it will be impossible for me to escape them. I turn and study the foreignness of the mattress beneath. The sheets are black silk and brand new judging from the smell of them. I squeeze my eyes shut and try to block the thoughts of what Triton's thinking of doing. I'm alone in all this; Krad hasn't awoken. That's probably the best thing I have going for me right now. I make a face at the soreness radiating from both my cheekbones, feeling dried blood lining the inside of my nose. My cheeks hurt worse than the knot they put on the back of my head!

_Think clearly, Satoshi. ... My clothes are still on, that's a good sign. Course, there's no telling what that pervert has planned... What's his motive for doing this? Is he seeing what gets what reaction? Nothing but an excuse to be a perverted freak, I bet! Father can't be allowing this, can he? Has Triton permission to do this to me? Again, I __bet not. Though, father really isn't the type to have many morals when it comes to getting his way..._

I'm so wrapped up in my disgruntled thoughts that I don't notice the door opening, or closing quietly.

_ If only Krad's power hadn't taken so much out of me-_

A soft hand abruptly tugs at my chin, startling me even as it turns my face close to the silver-gray eyes.

"Hi," Triton says, clearly enjoying the look of fear as my pupils shrink. I hadn't expected him so soon, though I should have. His pale pink, nearly white shirt rustles with its long sleeves as he takes a warm, wet cloth to my face. It's too close to what Emiko did as a kindness for me and I become mad that he's mimicked that, even though it's done unknowingly. Tugging my face away doesn't seem to surprise him in the least; he only smirks.

"What's the matter? You don't want the rest of that blood wiped off?" he chuckles. I don't bother answering and he doesn't really wait for one. "I'm going to be running a few tests on you from here. Don't worry, they won't be too drastic. A bit of this and that and we will see how long it takes, as well as what it takes for your true personality to come out. It's going to be fun!"

"You have me chained to a bed, why don't you just be blatant? Has my father consented to any of this? Somehow, I doubt that he has."

His face falls into slight nervous shock. He tries to fix it a millisecond too late. It gives me my answer. "So, you're doing this without his knowledge."

"Only things like this. He knows you're here – that was the ending goal all along – but I have a theory, and I'm checking it while enjoying myself. Oh, don't think you can use that to your advantage, your father is well aware that you could die before this is all figured out... where you're involved anyway, meaning your genes _other_ amazing abilities. Sorry, but all I have to do is tell him that you've mysteriously died and he'll never hear another word about you, and never think twice, either."

"You think I'm naive? My father will ask for my body, if nothing else than to see it for himself and bury it. He has to keep his good name and having my death on record without some sort of burial, or cremation wouldn't cut it with him being on the force."

Triton just smiles lazily, puzzling me. How could he possibly get away with lying to my father?

"Magic is an unstable thing. Not every accident leaves a body behind. Don't look so surprised, Pet. I've dabble with magic for a long time, and by doing so, have learned a few fun facts about it."

"Well, I'm sure my father will ask for the recordings that are surely taking place here as proof. Try tampering with those and he'll know."

"True. But, then again, I _am_ talented. I believe I can trick him well enough. So, either listen to me for the duration of your stay here, or cooperation will be forced with drugs. Act up too much and it _will_ be death."

"You can't use drugs. If you did, then any samples you might take from me will be contaminated."

"Oh, yeah... Was a little too into it and forgot about the actual tests," he laughs. "But, I could always threaten another way. Brew on that for a bit, I'll be right back in a minute." He straightens and walks for the door.

_He must be meaning Risa._

"Risa is such a sweet name, isn't it?" he asks while opening the door, causing me to look up from where my sight had trailed away to the bed in thought. I hadn't needed his hint.

"You don't have to touch her." I grimace heavily and swallow back a bitter taste of revulsion. "I know ...what your preference is." The words leave my tongue slowly, almost refusing to leave at all.

"Good. Then we have an understanding." He exits the room with arrogance and shuts the door, heading off without bothering to lock it. I shudder, suddenly unable to find any warmth on top of the vile, silky sheets.

**'Sa...toshi...?'**

I groan.

_Don't wake up, Krad!_

He doesn't say anything else and after awhile it's safe to say he has fallen back asleep. Meanwhile, I start thinking about our merging of late. Our personalities have gotten too crossed into each other. Is it possible we really are one and the same?

_No! We share the same body, the same thoughts at times, but we are not the same person! _

_ But, is it possible to become the same?_

_ No! _I answer my own inner voice again. _We will always be different entities! _

The wheels revolving in my head aren't helping to ease the pressure down in it. My eyes glance again to the black sheets, causing my stomach to sicken. I turn my head sideways into a white pillow and shake softly. I don't want Triton anywhere near me! Let alone to come back! Especially here in this room! The things he must try and get away with thanks to his commanding position...! It takes some time to realize the pillow is getting damp. I growl at myself. I've actually been crying! Though, it really is more of just watering of the eyes. Frustration, anger and the like must be causing it. Still, this is stupid of me. But, a stirring takes place from Krad. I find myself moving deeper into the comforting pillow and sniff once deeply. There is a scent buried; a mysterious tang that's somehow familiar...

**'Dark?'**

I reel back fast.

'Dark?' Somehow, while just trying to think, my thought had ended up directing Krad's way. He – unsurprisingly – does nothing more than ignore it.

_What really went on between these two?_ It is frustrating to be caught in the middle while so much else is going on. To top this off, I can't feel in which direction Krad's emotions are laying – whether he is somewhat concerned, or if he is in his usual must-kill mode. Either way, I want no part of it. Unfortunately, since Krad is thoroughly awake now, it's not about what I want anymore.

The door opening catches my attention this time. I put my guard up, only to get the shock of my life at who's staring back at me.

"Mrs. Emiko!" I say down low, but can't help the punctuation of disbelief. Emiko slides into the room and hurriedly shuts the door. It makes no sound. She turns and studies the surroundings as any professional thief checking for traps would. Once deemed clear she looks back to me, finally for the first time taking in more than just the single fact that I'm here. Her expression reads totally shock at my predicament, then rage. I know I didn't do anything wrong, and I know that she isn't angry at me, but I'm still a little embarrassed at her seeing this obvious and horrible situation.

"Oh, Satoshi!" She races up beside me. I hope she can't see the water still left in my eyes. "Are you okay? Have you been-"

I quickly shake my head before she can finish that sentence. She gives a breath of relief, then takes to unlocking my right handcuff.

"Have you found Miss Harada and Niwa yet?" I ask, hoping that she has and had already taken them to safety. She keeps working on the cuff and quickly unlocks it while I blink to get rid of the excess moisture in my eyes.

"No," she says, dishearteningly, as she reaches for my left. With my freed right hand I gently push into her side.

"Then stop. Find them first and get them to safety. If I'm loose the people here won't mind using Miss Harada to draw us out, whereas if you find her and Niwa, then it'll be much harder for them to find someone to hold for our cooperation."

She halts and pulls back.

"You saw Daisuke? He's alive?" Tears form in her eyes. I nod my head.

"But, he was hurt badly. Take care of him."

"Sa-Satoshi, I can't leave you here. You have to come with me." She dries her tears as I shake my head no.

"Leave. I've got more of a chance on my own than they do because of the possibility my father's inside the building." I don't know how much of a good chance that could prove to be, but it is something. "Your son and Harada have nothing but the strong possibility of getting used. Clear them first. I'm not sure what my position is right now, but if you start from the front – past the steel door, then you go straight, turning left at the first hall. If they are still where they were, then they will be the last door on your right. They may have moved them, but they can't be far from there with the equipment needed for stabilizing Niwa. Needless to say, there are many soldiers, and I'm not sure how you're going to make it unseen the whole way."

"You underestimate the ways of a phantom thief trainer. But, Satoshi, in case you haven't noticed, you've become like another son of mine. I see your point, but I can't just leave you now."

My heart speeds a little faster, partly due to pleasant shock, but more because of how this statement would effect Krad. And, sure enough, even before I stopped hearing her words, Krad starts reacting. I try to shut him out.

"Emiko, you have to... Hmph!" I twinge.

"Don't you dare, Krad," Emiko speaks up, warning past me – straight to the psychotic angel inside. I feel her hand come to my forehead. It seems to burn.

"Emiko! Stop! You're making it worse!" The crashing waves of pain start coming. She practically throws herself backwards.

"Sorry!"

The pain lets up unusually early for Krad and I breathe, having won at holding him at bay. "Go already! Find them!" I shout to her. She doesn't listen very well.

"If you came with me-" she begins.

"Then, I'd only slow you down and get you caught," I end.

"But-"

Unexpected pain shoots through, feeling like claws has yanked me from the backs of my shoulders, while something spears directly in the middle of my forehead. Giving a surprised cry – which gets cut off abruptly – somehow, against the bindings, I manage to bow upwards in distress, my mouth hanging slightly open with horrified shock. Slowly, all my tensed muscles ease back down. A heavy and tired feeling blankets me. Words start to form on my lips, working without my true consent.

"Dark has been moved. He is somewhere ahead and on your right. Not close, but not that far away." There is a distinct English accent to my words.

'Krad?'

The impulse to look at Emiko hits and before I think better of it, I do. Well, maybe it was me. Emiko studies my face. It only takes seconds for hate to cross her features.

"Why are _you _helping?" she asks. Again, the words just roll out of me.

"It is for my own benefit, I assure you. Leave me to this. I will be following you shortly."

'No! We stay until she gets everyone out!'

Krad ignores me and continues to use in this strange new way. I know what it feels like to have your body taken from you and to feel it while it's still being used, but this is different. It's like... I should be in control, but I'm not. Instead of being forced away, I'm still here. Like a link instead of just a vessel.

"Your own benefit?" Emiko asks incredulously.

"G-go!" I have to struggle at getting my mouth to follow the rightful commands, but it was truly me talking this time.

Footsteps begin pounding up the hall. She tsked, having no other choice but to run for it now. She's out the door and out into the halls in a flash. I'm not sure how they don't see her since they sound so close, but she doesn't scream and the guards don't fire. My head pounds harder than that of the thundering footsteps as the soldiers come to stop at the doorway. But only a few decide to stay as others continue past. A spasm comes without warning, lasting less than a second, then the heaviness that Krad brought on lifts.

I feel drained, but lazily lift my arm to fiddle futilely with my left cuff.

"Like I thought... no use," I mumble.

"Hey!" One guard-soldier-like-figure yells at me. He strides over to grab my hand and forces it back into the cuff.

"I don't want anymore accidents with you! You stay put!" He clicks the cuff too tightly and it pinches my wrist, drawing a tad of blood. I give only a small grimace. He says something, but I don't bother paying attention. I close my eyes and wait for the lethargy to pass.

**-.-**

…...

…...

It feels like it has been eons. But, has it really? Have I been alone for that long already? Strange. ...These feelings are strange. I've never missed anyone before? Never _allowed _myself to miss anyone before. Wait... I've missed my mother... and others... Something starts flickering, moving in the gathered darkness.

_ A dream?_

Chains rattle and I find myself inside an old stone tower, facing a slightly different looking Dark. There is no lighting, so I can't see, yet I know exactly the things that are around me, what they are and how they look, somehow gaining the knowledge from the kaito himself, whom still can see.

"None of this has to happen to you, Mousy." It was Krad's voice, and it was in a very different tone than normal.

_ Not a dream, _I realize. _A memory._

"Why? Why must you steal from the Hikari?" he continues in the same hurt and saddened tone. Inside I quiver. Emotions were left unguarded, tangling within mine, bringing back the dreaded thoughts of us possibly being only one entity.

"You know why, Krad. Those works are full of curses, ready to inflict mortal damage on any unsuspecting person. I have to seal them! The Hikari are in the wrong here, not me!" Krad moves a hand to cup Dark's angered face. He jerks to the side, but Krad refuses to let the thief get away from him.

"They are the same as you and I! Or did you forget how we were born?"

"How could I have? It's because we're now part human that we have any souls."

Krad's hand leaves his face just to come slapping back to it. I'm shocked by the move. If Krad is so mad as to have struck, then why not go ahead and kill? Not that I want him too, it just seems plausible that Krad wouldn't waste effort like this. The two are moving beyond anger now; it's pure fury swirling between them.

Krad goes for a black wing and that's when I realize it has been pinned straight through to the stones behind it. It's mangled and disturbing. Krad's hand follows along the wing until it gets to the rod sticking out. Before Dark knows what's going on, the rod is pulled free. Rich blood pours and Dark, shocked by the agonizing pain, tilts back into the stones. The shock doesn't let him breathe, so Krad presses on his chest until it helps.

I'm lost and wish this bloody scene would just fade.

Krad reaches for the other rod, and I try to call out to stop him. Nothing happens. I can't break into Krad right now. _I can't change the past._

The rod comes out, along with spurting blood. I cringe away from the loud issuing of cries. Exhausted, Dark doesn't give up, but pushes away from the wall, his wings making a sloppy wet sound against the stones every time he pushes for hold with them. His arms are still chained and he's not going to be going anywhere, or so I think. Dark suddenly rams himself into the stones so hard that I almost can't hear the horrid popping of him dislocating his own shoulders. Somehow he manages a smirk as he's able to fall away to the floor. He lays oddly, unmoving, and I'm made scared he'd died... and so is Krad.

Krad bends down and touches with very little pressure to Dark's forearm, but Dark jumps a mile.

"So you're awake. Dear Mousy, look at what you've done to yourself," Krad chides. Briefly, I get the impression Dark smiles, showing off his canines before he begins fading fast. I can feel the connection between him and Krad ripping. Reacting quickly, Krad carefully picks up the limp and heavy thief – his arms, wings and legs dangling awkwardly in a jumble.

_**'Don't you die yet, Dark Mousy.'**_

_** 'I won't, Krad.'**_

…...

…...

I'm caught off guard when a sleeping Dark is laid out in front of me. His face is pale and sickly, but made smooth in peaceful slumber. One arm is slung loosely over his chest while the other dangles forgotten over the old low cot, easily reaching to the floor. Both giant black wings spill down either side of him, looking tattered and inflamed. Candles break through the inner room's darkness, bringing all shapes into stark detail. It's haunting detail to Krad, who doesn't like the place.

_What is Krad up to? _I can't get an accurate reading of him. _I get that this is early on into their creation, but when exactly? Where? Is Krad not as homicidal here? Is this suppose to show me the rift that tore them apart for good? _… Confusing... One question then: Why?

_ Why am I being shown this?_

Krad walks closer towards Dark with something in our hands. The thief doesn't stir when he should be jumping out of his skin. Silently, I watch. An elegant hand – Krad's hand without the glove, I notice – touches Dark's face. The features are caressed by his fingers; practically worshiped and something deep wells up from within Krad. Sadness and hatred... and love. The extreme feelings are in turmoil. That turmoil alone has enough stress in it to make me feel physically ill, but the shock that comes with it... I become dizzy.

_Krad was never capable of love! Will never be!_

I forced myself away, not wanting to see the softer side of this monster and at the same time, wanting to get further from Dark. After all, I don't … love him. A wind sweeps me to the side, strangely pushing, helping me get away. Not what I was expecting, but okay. When_ my_ feet touch the floor, I turn, seeing both Dark _and _Krad still beside the cot.

"This can only mean that we _are_ separate entities, right?" Otherwise, I couldn't have gotten over here. This is smile worthy material here! Wow, it's difficult to understand the logic within dream-like memories. That wind, for example, is headache worthy material.

I study myself to make sure everything is in proportion. It is. Ignoring the other two, I wonder if I can get out of here. There is a beat-up wooden door covering the one and only exit from the place. Hesitantly, I walk across the swept floor, running a hand over the wooden door once close enough to do so. A barrier rejects me like an invisible window.

"Great. I can only go so far."

A whine cuts the air. Afraid of what I'll see, I turn and chastise myself.

_Just because Triton's a pervert doesn't mean Krad is going to try anything. It's not __even in his nat-_

My thoughts stop... then resume. For a minute, I'd thought Dark was being kissed. But, Krad only has his forehead pressed to his. Still...

"Drink," Krad commands softly and lifts up to try again to get Dark to drink the concoction from a crystal goblet. Its elegant design is enough to tug at you. I recognize that tug. It's an Hikari artwork, unsealed. Dark tussles in his sleep, comprehending nothing but that he's being disturbed and forced to taste something undoubtedly horrible. Most medicines are.

"You are going to force me to do something. You will hate it," Krad warns in all his usual seriousness. Dark still doesn't wake up properly. I have to wonder if Krad hadn't used magic prior to suppress him. Dark probably doesn't even know what's going on.

"I really do not want to do this without your consent. I feel you would never forgive me." Krad looks to Dark's face, waiting for anything to register. Purple slits flutter open, but they're dazed and cloudy from his wings' infections.

"Drink." Krad holds the goblet to his lips again. No sooner than it touches does he turn sideways, allowing something that really has no single color for itself to run off his cheek. Gold slits narrow before Krad bends to one knee. He sets the goblet down to lift the purple head over an arm. He reaches back for the goblet and takes a sip. _No! I'm not about to see this!_

Krad puts his lips close to Dark's still ones and hesitates. … After a minute of being unable to proceed, he gives up and swallows the medicine himself, lifting up and reclaiming his arm from underneath Dark while the unsuspecting sleeper gently rolls away.

"Pride is worth more than health, I think. Be grateful. … That was thee _worst_ tasting substance I've ever come across." White wings ruffle in a single shudder.

Krad is almost sulking as he comes my direction. Whether it's from the horrid taste, or rather a missed chance, I'm not sure. This breaks the spell of my horrified trance. I almost expect Krad to start talking to me as he walks past. When he doesn't, I let out a held breath. Imagine my surprise when his arms come from behind to lightly land around my shoulders.

**'I have more to show you, but now is not the time. **_**You**_** are my everything. Truly, Satoshi.'**

I gasp so hard, I jolt myself awake. Silver-gray stare in snide amusement from the door. I'm back in the present, still stuck in the red room.

"Hope you enjoyed your nap, because we're about to get started." His red and black duffel bag swings as he walks for me.

**-****)*(****-**


	34. Chapter 34

**-****)*(****-**

Risa's POV 

Finally, I'd gotten to see Hiwatari's other without coming away with vague, or faded memories. That must be something else the angels can do to hide details about themselves.

I'm fed up with swollen eyes and sniffles, but since they've separated Niwa from me I can't busy myself with looking after him anymore. Not that I was a real help anyway – he never responded to me. I can only hope they haven't give up on him.

They have me in a vastly different room now, one that looks like it belongs in someones home rather than in this terrible place. It has a single couch, a small television that doesn't work, a small kitchen area that blends right into the small living area, and one door that leads to a small half bathroom. I've already fixed myself a small frozen dinner from a little freezer they have stuck on the tiny counter. The microwave took forever, but the long awaited meal turned out to be a waste. Before even halfway through I'd lost my appetite. Good thing too. I'm feeling strangely relaxed and sleepy. I think the food was drugged. Weird because I'd checked to make sure it was still properly sealed. Seems you can't go by that here.

Instead of curling up on the couch, I curl up on a small colorful rug in front of it and stare at the blank TV screen. Floor is better than their stuff. Beige walls hold a few rough sketches of wildlife scenes, but they're not as good as Niwa's. I miss him and Hiwatari. I miss home and Riku, too!

"Darn creeps!" I swipe at my eyes. "I just want everything back to normal. Couldn't someone be nice in this place?"

Was I saying all this out loud? Might be going crazy then. You think I would after all this. Angels within my friends – pure craziness. But, it's true. And, I still love them. Good thing my sights aren't so stuck on myself anymore. Acceptance in life, of life, for life, is a lesson Dark taught me. Maybe I taught him a little something at the time, too. I'd like to think so. It makes me smile, even if it is just a little in this forsaken place. I'm glad I found my grandmother's letter. That helped me most of all.

The rug had gotten so comfortable. I rub my face across it, finding an even softer spot and press into the cushions more. Wait... cushions? I lift my head and brush my hair aside to find I'm on the couch. _Since when did I get up here?_

I look around the room and see a new, similar couch crammed in. Vivid red hair is splayed on a huge pillow.

"Niwa?"

I've never jumped up so fast. Covers are pulled up to his chin and there are no monitors that I can tell. Someone had moved him here and repositioned me while I'd slept. That proves it. The food _was_ drugged.

His features haven't appeared to have improved any in the hours since I've last seen him, but his heart rate is fairly normal.

"Niwa?"

The boyish face actually moves! He purses his lips together and sniffles some in pain.

"It'll be okay, Niwa. Can you open your eyes?" After a couple of iffy seconds, his eyes open slowly. They're not as ruby colored as I remember, but more of a garnet. Are they dulled because of his injuries?

"Risa?" His voice sounds quiet and hoarse. It's still great to hear!

"Niwa! Niwa!" I throw myself at him. "You're alright!"

"Ow, ow..."

"Oops!" I let go of him. "What happened? Why are you so injured?"

He looks at me confused, then at himself.

"I have no clue." His face turns back to mine.

"Well, they said you were brain dead!"

"WHAT...?" he cries, then pauses.

"What?" I ask.

"Well, that could have been Dark's fault. He sealed me away before..." Niwa's face twists with disgust and he pauses again.

"What?" I prompt.

"Triton," he says, with a revolted draw of his lips. I gasp.

"Then what?" I ask, horrified.

"Triton came in, and as he was, Dark sealed me off. I don't know what happened and ...now I'm very disturbed! What if-" Niwa suddenly stops talking and stares off blankly, looking somewhat broken.

"Don't think like that!" I yell and squirm.

"Wha-? Oh! Sorry! Dark was talking all of a sudden," he clarifies.

"You scared me there! I thought you went into shock, or something."

"Almost did. Dark told me I have nothing to worry about though, so I'm fine. Wish the escape would have been a success. We've never had this sort of problem before." He slowly sits up and his unusually relaxed hair falls in pointed layers, framing his cute face. It is a nice style for him, but it makes him appear just a tad more feminine. I won't tell him that, though. Bandages cover his chest. Wonder why; those weren't on Dark earlier.

"Yeah..." I trail off, not knowing what to say. "So, how's Dark?"

"Give me a second." His eyes defocus. Can't believe I never noticed Niwa doing this before. I mean, I knew he'd space out at times, but now it's just plain obvious when him and Dark are talking back and forth. Maybe he's just not trying to hide it anymore. During this, I've make myself comfortable sitting on the floor.

"He's furious." Niwa says, as he comes out of it looking sad.

"Not at you, right?"

"Huh? No, no! He's mad... at a lot of stuff. He's beating around the bush in telling me things."

"Wonder why?"

"Not sure, but apparently we were knocked out of his form. ...Feels so weird to be telling you that."

"It's weird for me, too, but I'm glad to know."

He blushes a bit from happiness and a little from shame. "I didn't want the secret. It was what I was born into," he says so low that I can hardly hear him.

"It's okay, I didn't know you were a big griffin either!"

He pauses, then, "WHAT?"

I promise you his spikes came back with his surprise.

**-.-**

Satoshi's POV 

"First things first," Triton says, after setting the bag down on the bed next to me. I eye it like some sort of evil insignia. "We need to get you a shower," he continues with a sly smile.

"No." I redirect my stare from the duffel bag to him.

"Yes," he argues. "You need to get clean, and not only that, but being immersed in water is recommended for you by your father. That and salt. Lots of it. I'm afraid your diet has been severely lacking it since you haven't eaten in nearly a day now."

"I think it's been longer than a day."

"Nope." He points at me. "At your father's old mansion you were fed." He sits on the bed, causing it to dip, and folds his hands into his lap. Wish he'd fall off.

"You can't remember because you were out at the time," he goes on, "but it was done with a tube and then by iv. You've been here for about eighteen hours now. Your friends have been here longer. It's getting close to three days for them."

I don't like the fact that all together I've been out for the better part of three days. Or, for that matter, being force fed.

"What are you intending on doing with us? Tell me your theory."

"Why? So you can delay that shower?" he laughs.

"Partly. Tell me and maybe things will make more sense to me." I reach to the part of me that is so practiced in giving away nothing. Perhaps if I can get rid of this defiant expression on my face, then maybe a can manipulate the situation better. It's not a talent of mine I like to use often.

"Hmm... From one genius to another, eh?"

"Sure," I shrug.

"Sure?"

"Yeah."

"Are you trying to be more cooperative?" he asks.

"Maybe..."

"In exchange for information?" He raises an eyebrow.

"I'm tired of hassling with you. Either tell me, or we can forget it. It's not like you're important, anyway."

"Oh, now that hurt! Okay, okay, I'll tell you. Man, you're a brat!"

"Why, thank you. You're the first person to have ever named me such."

"You're trying to get under my skin, aren't you?"

"Maybe..."

"Getting playful with me?"

"No." _Never!_

"Huh. You're up to something." He pauses. "...Now it's bugging me." Another pause. "...What are you up to?"

"Like I'd tell you."

"STFU! Now tell me!"

"How? You basically just told me to-"

"You're driving me insane!"

"You're welcome," I snicker. "Though, you were already past _that_ point of no return."

"Hmm... I've got it! I know what you're playing at."

"Really?"

"Yeah. By arguing with me, you're trying to develop a weird sort of bond between us."

"...You really have gone past the point of no return..."

"Darn, I was wrong?"

"You're not reassuring me about yourself."

Triton laughs.

"Nope! But this is entertaining! Okay, okay... theory... How can I explain it?"

_Okay, Satoshi, play it right._

"The thing I'm really curious about is if your "other" is a split personality, or an actual spirit. I'm thinking split personality and this is why I'm subjecting you and the Niwa kid to so much. I'm trying to trigger and learn. Of course, technology can only go so far..."

"So what's with the inappropriate conduct?"

"Well..."

"It's not just for your sick, twisted fantasies, is it?"

"Um..."

"..."

"Well... I know it takes a certain reaction for Dark to appear. I wanted to find out if love was just a chemical reaction produced by the brain..."

Shocking. My face reveals some of my surprise.

"What?" he voices angrily. "I'm still a jerk, so don't think anything less!"

"You were subjected to too much science early in life. That, and you're an idiot."

"Whatever."

"We can explain things with science and, in turn, simulate things with chemicals, but to do so takes life's freedom away from the individual."

"Everything is made up of different elements and chemicals. How can you say life's freedom isn't ruled by this? If emotions are just chemicals, then what's so good about caring for anyone?"

"Listen, man can't create life by artificial means. It's impossible, and life is the individual – the person. If you go messing with this then you're messing up a miracle. Science merely helps us to understand the happenings of certain things. But, even so, it doesn't give you the right to tamper with things. ...You're not taking this in at all, are you?"

"Nope... well, kinda. Going to take more than that to persuade me. And, I'd still like to know what you're up to. You're being chatty. Your profile says you're quiet, not chatty."

"Hmm?"

"Do you like me, or something? I'm liking you better now that I've gotten to know you more, but damn your morals are high!"

"I honestly can't stand being in the same room with you."

"Again with the hurt!"

"You understand full well that what you're doing is wrong. You're just trying to hide behind science and close yourself off. Am I right?"

"Your deduction skills are good!"

"...Or, maybe not. You're not hiding at all."

"Shower time!"

"GET YOUR HANDS OFF ME!"

**-.-**

Daisuke's POV 

**'I went out of control! I'm sorry Daisuke! I never meant to!'**

'Is that why I feel as bad as I do?'

**'Partly. I... hit a wall... and... got nicked by bullets... twice...'**

'Dark!'

**~Sigh**

'You should have never sealed me off!'

**'You...! That **_**wasn't**_** a situation you could have handled!'**

'What's the full story then?'

**'…'**

'Dark! What happened?'

**'You weren't there in the least, so don't freak out about it.'**

'Tell me, Dark.'

**'Fine... Triton forced an... something... in my system. Risa was forced to kiss me and-'**

I gasp from the guilt wrapped in his voice.

'You didn't!'

**'…Huh?'**

'You two didn't-'

**'NO! Are you**_** insane**_**? We kept it as a greeting. But, then Triton... um... **_**Oh**_**, I CAN'T say **_**it**_**!'**

'H-he kissed you again?'

**'Ugh! You said **_**it**_**!'**

'Sorry...'

**'Yes... And that stuff... it drew something out... and... I KISSED BACK! D'ow!'**

'WHAT!'

**'Believe that I wasn't thinking straight, please! He ended up getting passion that didn't belong to him! ... I think I'm going to be sick now... Seriously, get to a bathroom!'**

"Niwa?"

Risa's worried face hovers above my own. During the conversation with Dark, I'd fallen in disbelief back down onto my pillow. I rub at my eyes, and that's when my stomach turns.

"Excuse me!"

I shoot up, startling her, and make a break for the half-open door, revealing a bathroom sink. Thank goodness I was so physically fit before being laid up so much, or my unstable legs would be a lot worse of a problem to deal with. They still almost reject holding my sudden weight. I slam the door shut behind me, barely making it before throwing up.

** 'Sorry, Dai,' **Dark apologizes when everything is done coming up. Wasn't very much, but it sure makes the bottom of my stomach hurt where it had to scrunch so hard to empty.

I cough out a small word of assurance and just place a hand on my sore naval.

** 'All Hikari artworks that possess forms are also hybrids. I'm actually a phoenix, **_**not**_** a griffin. And, I'm sorry about the.**_**.. incident**_**! It was forced on me! ****Because of my bird-like heritage, my tolerance for drugs is way below a normal humans. I hate to say it, but that's probably why I feel so sick, in turn making you sick. It's from the drugs, not the... forced contact. Course, that certainly was upsetting.'**

I clean up and run some water, cupping my hands to bring some to my mouth and rinse.

'Why not tell me earlier about the animal form? Don't I have a right to know?'

This strikes at Dark. The fact that I'm having serious doubts about him trusting me is a bad blow between us.

** 'That part of me was suppose to be gone with Dane.'**

'I haven't heard much, but he was part of the Niwa family, so a previous tamer?'

** 'Yeah. He helped me understand somethings, but there are just somethings I can't grasp. The phoenix is tough to explain, but it's an eternal bird with serious emotions and raw power. No denying it's back again, and I've got to control it. Because if I don't, it will literally tear you apart.'**

'J-just how do you know that?'

A pang of regret pierces through Dark's heart.

** 'Because of Dane.'**

I look up into a mirror and just stare.

**-****)*(****-**


	35. Chapter 35

**-****)*(****-**

Daisuke's POV 

'This is terrifying to know about you, Dark... and, that means I'm really not human... That kinda sucks.'

Life was so much easier to understand a week ago.Now, it feels like I'm going to throw up again.

**'I know. That's part of the reason why I haven't told anyone about the phoenix form. Please calm down and don't throw up again, **_**that**_** kinda sucks.'**

I can't help laughing at the face he makes at me from inside the mirror and I sound a bit hysterical after a few minutes of it.

**'Have you flipped?' **he asks uncertainly. I calm down, eventually stopping.

'No,' I answer, to help reassure us both, 'that was just funny. Okay, Dark, you've kept a lot of things from me, but I'll still trust you. No more secrets though.' I feel the impression of his smile as much as see it reflecting back at me.

**'Right!'**

'I'll just have to deal with the factor of not being human later. It's been awhile since I last thought of myself as normal, anyway.'

** 'Technically you are still human.'**

'But, people can't shape shift.'

**'When you change into me, isn't that shape shifting? What makes the phoenix any different?'**

'Because it's an animal, right?' I look at him a bit puzzled.

**'You're still human.'**

'I don't think-'

**'I'm centuries older than you are and know more than you do. If I say you're human, that makes it so.'**

"Niwa?" Risa knocks on the bathroom door, interrupting our mental conversation. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah," I call back, still looking into the mirror. My heart about skips a beat as Dark disappears from view to be replaced by a different face – one that isn't familiar.

"Whoa!" I almost fall backwards and have to windmill my arms in order to catch myself, almost ending up hitting the wall behind me. Whatever was in the mirror after Dark vanished didn't look so good...

**'Um... Dai? That was you, so quit freaking out.'**

'No that wasn't! It was some dead girl!'

"Niwa, seriously, are you alright?" Risa peers in from the doorway. Inside, Dark doesn't know whether to laugh at, or feel pity for me. I'm still too shaken to much care what he thinks.

_ Dark mustn't have seen it clearly, but I sure did!_

"T-there was a d-dead girl in the m-mirror!" I stutter, keeping my back fully to the mirror in case the apparition is still hovering in there. Risa's face looks slightly fearful as she comes in and tugs on my shoulders.

"Really?" she asks and moves to see past me. "Well, she's not there now." I turn around to see for myself and freeze.

"What in the world?" I question at the reflection of Risa and ..._is that really me_? Dark drops into a fit of hysterical laughter, making me blush, thereby making my complexion look even worse.

**'T-told you- HA HA! -that was **_**YOU**_**! Hahaha ha ha haha! Ow! Side hurts! Ha ha! But, it's still so funny!**_** HAHAHA!**_**'**

"Who put make-up on me?" I recover and roughly wipe at the dark circles around my eyes with an embarrassed flourish. Risa begins cracking up beside me, struggling not to bust out with her own set of giggles.

"Is this the dead girl you were talking about?" she manages to inquire.

I softly groan in humiliation and don't answer, still busily rubbing my eyes. Darn make-up doesn't want to come off!

"It's okay. Get cleaned up and let's talk. I think that's all we're going to be able to do here, anyway." Her skirt swishes faintly as she steps out and leaves me to my troubles.

'Dark! This make-up won't come off! Stop laughing would you?' His laughter is still bouncing around inside my head.

**'S-sorry Daisuke! Ha ha! Oh! That was just what I needed!'**

'Happy to help,' I grumpily mutter to him and walk over by the sink. Maybe with water it'll come off.

**'A little rough, aren't we? Dai, scrubbing your face off won't do you much good,' **Dark says, as water splashes over the sink. I look back into the mirror, frowning as I can still see the black lining around my water-slicked eyes.

"What does it take to get this stuff off? Is it permanent?" I lean forward to study it, seeing how my top lids are fully covered and solid black while the bottoms are more grayish. It looks almost goth... I think.

**'Actually... that may not be make-up.'**

"Well, then, what is it?" I ask, pouting and folding my arms at my strange appearance. My hair style definitely isn't right when left hanging lax; soft spikes are a much better look for me. Maybe all this stress is what's rung the usual lift out of it.

**'I think it's marks left behind from the phoenix. They'll go away eventually.'**

'What have you done to me?' I groan again in humiliation. 'Now I've got to go around looking like a dead girl!'

** '… I think it's kinda cute. You know my hairstyle hangs down some.'**

'Thanks, Dark, but you've got the face to pull it off without appearing feminine.'

** 'Aw! Such a nice compliment!'**

'Oh, why did I ever say that? Now your ego's going to be worse! But, I wonder why I'm so bruised all over.' I take in the rest of my distressed appearance. So far, I'm not liking how beat up I look, never mind the soreness of it all. Have to admit, I haven't felt this bad since I accidentally sprung one of mom's traps that tried to smash me _after _I'dran into more of that darn tempered glass – she likes to put it in for fun at random times. The only way I ever seem to be able to know the difference between it and the normal glass is if I'm already trying to break through it.

** 'You try... Never mind. You did technically crash into the wall.'**

'What's this bandage hiding on my chest?'

** 'Don't know. Why don't you take a look?'**

**-.-**

Satoshi's POV 

I let the warm water run over my upturned face and rain down my form, letting it soothe at the marks left on my wrists and ankles from the cuffs, trying not to think of the past half hour. Finally, I was left alone to the peace of a quiet shower, or at least I tried to fool myself into believing. They wouldn't be so amateurish as to not have a camera around. The steady sounds of the spray hammering down could distract me from this fact if only I let it but, call me crazy, I don't like the thought of someone watching me while unclothed. Maybe I'm giving off the appearance of calm right now, but I'm mad enough to break this entire stall down, if only I could live without fear of any repercussions.

"Why?" I ask myself and mist comes into my mouth, tasting very salty. Why on Earth it isn't stinging my eyes, I can't answer. Lowering my head, I glance outside the blurry glass that separates the huge shower from the rest of the bathroom. Triton, thankfully, appears to have left for good. Touching my right shoulder, I end up thinking about what had previously occurred.

...I'd been brought here in front of this _deluxe _shower and wondered just how far Triton would go, just as I wondered if the nozzles lining up and down inside here were strong enough to take your skin off. They sure looked powerful enough to do so.

"Alright," he'd said, and reached for me. I'd twisted at an angle to make his reach miss.

"You're not undressing me!" I vociferated indignantly.

"Oh? And how do you expect to do it? Your hands and feet are still bound." He gave a wry smile and stood facing me with a superior's stance.

"Then why don't you release these?" I asked and jingled the cuffs with their chains.

"And let you chance causing me trouble? Ha! I don't think so!"

Suddenly he lunged for my shoulders and spun me. The floor blurred as he'd whirled me round, and I had to keep a tight leash on my rising anger. A bit off from being dizzy, he stopped me to face a full bodied mirror. I watched our reflections as he wrapped an arm around my neck and another around my middle.

"What are-"

"Sshhh," he whispered by my ear. He could plainly see the paranoia rising on my face. When he bent behind me, a sickening dread filled my stomach and my color completely drained away. I began struggling without thinking. His arms tightened and jerked me backwards, pressing me into him. I jerked forward time and time again, trying to get free. He grunted while restraining me.

"Hey! Whoa! Easy! Jeez! You're like- ...a wild- ...animal!" Each break in his words were punctuated with his efforts.

"Don't touch me! Get away!" I struggled more violently, and jerked hard towards the left, but he held tighter and I felt like I was being suffocated by the arm around my neck and squeezed too tightly by the other around my middle. Finally I was forced to stop, panting and wheezing, staring daggers at his image towering behind me, infuriated that he wasn't tired in the least by the worst of my struggles.

"Would you chill? I was just going to look at the torn hole in the back of your shirt."

"Not believing that!" I jerked once more, just as he made eye contact with my reflection.

"Hey! Stop that, or I'll bring Risa in here!" he threatened. The dread in my stomach turned to heavy lead.

_ I'm truly trapped! _The bleak reality of it hit hard. I'd thought I'd already steeled myself against him, but no. _He's going to be able to do anything he wants! _

"Good, I see that hits home with you," he said, while still watching my reflection. "Now stand straight and still, I want to see where those beautiful wings of yours emerge."

He bent again and I stiffened, not wanting to yield to him. It was difficult to resist kicking out backwards. I shut my eyes and tried to hold the thought of Risa firmly in the forefront of my mind to keep myself from making the stupid mistake.His finger gliding over a shoulder blade made me look down at him. Having the most royally pissed off tone I'd ever heard from anyone, I asked him, "What are you doing?"

"Did you know you have impressions of them back here?" he answered as his gaze raked all over my nearly exposed back.

Suppressing a shudder, I answered, "If you're talking about the scars, then yes."

"You can tell the lighter, newer skin, yes, but that's not what I mean." His fingers trailed downwards, following my shoulder blades again.

"Would you stop touching?" I hissed between clenched teeth, unable to stop myself. _Quit acting out! Think of Risa!_ Deciding not to pay any attention to what I'd said, he took a thumb to the crevice of my right shoulder blade, rolling in circles until he hit what could have been a knotted, tense muscle. Something reacted and slithered up by my spine.

"What are you doing?"

"Did that feel odd?" he asked, with a tilt of his head.

"Very. What was that?"

"That was what one of your wings grow from."

"Except for holding Krad, my regular form is normal."

"That is where you're wrong."

"I've had x-rays before- Hey!"

He started pressing into my lower neck. It felt like some rough message and my head was nearly forced down by it.

"I wonder if you have one," he said, thinking out loud. "See, I've been studying birds and there is this place they have that just makes them melt. I wonder that, if you have it, will it make you relax?"

"Last time that I checked, I wasn't a bird."

"You're very similar," he insisted, and kept pressing. It was annoying as hell, but I think he found it highly amusing.

"What do you hope to accomplish by this?"

"That I'm not saying. … Darn, I know it's suppose to be around here..."

One press was different from the rest. A strange, but not-quite-unpleasant zing ran through me. The mirror showed the traitorous widening of my eyes, but it was my small, sharp intake of breath that let him know he'd hit whatever he'd been searching for.

"That's it?" he asked, and pressed into the soft muscle again. Another zing ran rampant. It turned my legs into a boneless mess, and suddenly I found myself folding to the floor.

"Found it!" he exclaimed proudly.

"What the-?" He kept firm pressure applied to the spot, and it took all I had just to pull my shaky arms underneath me. I wanted to lift myself back up, but it didn't seem as if I'd be able to. It wasn't due to any sort of weakness, but rather that all my joints were struck by that rushing current he'd created.

I hate playing the part of a fool.

"This is a pressure point that is commonly found on birds. It's used to show dominance when one male has won against another. But, this is also used in a more pleasurable way – males usually press on this spot when mounting their females. It gets them better in the mood, or so I've read."

_Dear Heavens, why me?_

"So, I'm curious. What does it feel like?"

"It hurts," I lied. "I can't feel my legs." It was the only thing I could come up with, seeing as how they'd buckled mortifiedly on me.

"Awe," he made the disappointed sound and let up. I quickly sprung to my feet and faced him. My back would _not_ be exposed a second time with such a point there in his favor. He reached for me again, and again I moved, backpedaling just far enough away for his swipe to miss.

"It's shower time, now come here," he demanded and pointed down to the floor beside him.

"Leave me!"

"Huh? Did I just see a flash of gold?"

"No," I retorted hotly. _If you had, then you'd be dead._

"Listen, I can appreciate your attitude, but I'm really disappointed right now and if you don't get your act together, Risa is going to be paying the price. You know, I could be much worse." He towered over me before I knew it, leaning with a half smile and pushed me until we crossed over the threshold of the shower and I was confined against the far inside wall. Infuriated, I growled deeply. It sounded ominously foreboding with the acoustics of the stall's interior.

"If I demanded your body right here, right now, what would you do?" His hands grabbed both my hips. In an instinctive response, my cuffed hands shot up to floor him, but he let go of me and blocked the hit. The smack of the contact echoed around us in the lightly colored stall. His eyes narrowed dangerously at mine.

"For that, I'm going to get Risa and teach you the hard way to obey me."

"No!" I choked.

"What? Is that the sound of someone becoming desperate?"

I lowered my head to where my blue hair was an effective shield against his searching gaze, and contemplated any options I might have. _There has to be something I can do!_

"Look at me," he commanded, and tilted my face back up, breaking even that small attempt at getting away from him.

"Are you going to be easier to work with from now on? If you are, then I won't get her. One more slip up, and I will."

_I've lost. No, I lost a while back... but if..._

I forced myself to visibly cool down. The thought of Risa, or any other person being hurt by this creep, made my fist clench and throb with the ache of needing to retaliate. It was a feeling that was becoming all too frequent and familiar. A wetness tracked down one cheek as an invisible band tightened inside my chest, signaling a hopelessness to what must be done. I had a chance _if _I could get my act together, especially after all the fussing. But, after it's all said and done, it'll be more accurate to say Risa will be getting out of here unscathed by comparison. _That's okay, it'll be worth the sacrifice._

"That's what I thought," he said to me. Having nothing left to say I didn't respond.

"Turn around," he commanded. I obeyed and his hands ripped my shirt off, starting at the tears from over my shoulder blades. I put my legs out to either side to withstand the harsh ripping without being knocked over. It was difficult to keep quiet at the display of dominance and utter lack of respect for my persons. As the material split off, I could feel my dignity going with it.

"Face me," he demanded. My steps echoed a bit in the interior of the shower stall, somehow, even they sounded defeated. He glanced down at me. I avoided his direct gaze and he sighed almost sadly.

"Give me your hands," he said impatiently. I lifted them, and he brought something from around his side. Suddenly, my handcuffs clicked and dropped free. He soon bent to do the same to the ones on my ankles.

"What...?"

"Get your shower. No stalling. Don't even think about using magic," he interrupted my question. "You don't want to be sprayed with our so-called _foam_, trust me on that. It's super hard to get off and it always takes skin with it." He walked over to the door with all the cuffs and chains dangling over his arms. I rubbed at my wrists while eying him carefully, puzzled over his sudden change in demeanor.

"Before I leave, take off your clothes and throw them over here," he said, with his back to me. "Don't worry, I won't look yet. My fun wasn't to come until later anyways."

"But why-"

"I don't hear you making a move!" He lifted a cuff as if to threaten.

Slowly, I unfastened my jeans and pushed them off, throwing them to land with a whoosh past him so he wouldn't have any excuse to look back.

"I want to keep _these _on."

"Nope, everything comes off."

"Then, I do so in the shower."

"Whatever! Just hurry! Damn! If I didn't know any better, I'd say you were a girl with all this pussyfooting around you're doing!"

Ignoring the insult, I slammed the shower door closed and tossed the last of my garments over; keeping just my hips towards him all the while in case he did decide to look. I didn't care if the glass _was_ blurred, I still didn't want him seeing. Amazingly, he didn't try looking back.

"Your towel is hanging on the outside of the shower, but I warn you: even that will be taken away at some point."

"You're saying I don't get my clothes returned?"

"That's exactly what I'm saying."

I leaned my forehead on the cool wall in front of me. _Why am I not surprised?_

"By the way," he said, and I could hear the smile in his voice as he picked up my clothes and turned to walk out with them. "Nice butt!"

...

…

I really want to knock down this wall.

**-.-**

Daisuke's POV 

'Dark! My chest has curved inwards! Why?'

My mind is spinning. Chests didn't just curve, or cave, or whatever you call it! It was just physically impossible, wasn't it? Seeing it made me want to collapse. My ribcage looks like something out of a scary movie!

_Breathe! Or my swimming head is going to become too light and I really will faint. _And I'd had enough with being out of it.

**'Easy, Daisuke. Sorry, but it's another side effect of the phoenix form. Your structure had a really difficult time with it, and it's just taking awhile to pop back into place.'**

'Pop? Oh that sounds lovely! And why does it seem like I've gotten smaller? And, what happened to my tan jeans? I'm in hospital pants!'

That's me – just now realizing someone has changed my clothes.

**'You've shrunk because the phoenix taxed your body into burning, not only through fat reserves, but into some muscle tissues as well. You're in need of lots of calories, vastly including protein and calcium. Your bones are also a little more fragile because of the stress of such a tremendous transformation. The phoenix isn't good on the human body.'**

'But, because of the phoenix, I'm not human, right?'

** '... You're not human in the sense that normal people are, and never will be thanks to my DNA, but you have most of the same properties – with common strengths and weaknesses.' **

The bathroom starts to spin, almost as if I'd just stepped off one of those amusement park roller coasters. Simple facts about my life are suddenly not so simple anymore. My entire being isn't adding up the way it should be. Like... like... two plus two equals four. I don't know what I'm adding up to be, but it's not four! _And I'm making no sense! What will it mean for me in the future? What am I in the future? Is this really real? _

"Are you coming, Niwa?" Risa calls from in the living room. It brings some focus out from my emotional downhill spiral.

_Just think of Risa for now. Go talk and don't think. And here I thought my last birthday was harsh!_

**'That's it, Dai. Don't have a nervous breakdown on me. They aren't very pleasant, and with my power people could end up dying if you turn ballistic. ... You... didn't need to know that...'**

My heart kicks in worse and my muscles feel like they've tensed up to three times what they've been.

'D-dying! Ballistic! What?'

"Niwa, come in here already."

**'Yeah, listen to her, Daisuke. Nothing bad will happen. You're too soft and mellow to go ballistic. I was just kidding...'**

'You weren't kidding! You said there'd be no more secrets! Dark! What if-'

**'Catch yourself, Daisuke! I know things have become different and whacked up, but you are still you. Now, I'll handle the problems of the phoenix, you only have to worry about talking with Risa for now.'**

'But, when we try escaping again, if we're cornered and have to switch from flight to fight, what if I lose it then?'

**'You mean "lose it" as in 'going nuts'? What makes you think like that?'**

'I seriously feel as if everything has gone out of control. Maybe I'll snap. You said you went out of control – what if all this mess does the same to me?'

** ~Sigh~ 'No more secrets between us, right? ... Listen, you'll only have a problem if the phoenix starts awakening again. As long as I keep a tight lid on it, everything will be alright. If we have to fight, then I kick butt the old fashioned way. The less magic used, the less of an alarm clock for the phoenix to have to wake up to. Just, if the phoenix does start to awaken and you feel the... emotions of it, then you must not be overwhelmed by them. Especially don't fall victim to the blood lust that can ensue from dragged out fightings, and I'm warning you, because even you can be subjected and fall to it. Once you do fall into a frenzy, it's hard to recover yourself, and even harder to recover from the devastation left from it. If _I_ truly fall into it, then you'll have to be the stronger of us. If you can hold on to yourself, then we'll be fine. Hey! No pressure! You're so innocent, that I'm sure we'll be fine! If I have to I'll switch back to you in the middle of a fight, so you'd better be thinking of that instead of worrying about this!'**

One of my hands is grabbed, startling me.

"Come on, I need to talk with you." Risa comes up close to me.

"Um, right..."

"What's wrong?" Her brows draw closer together as she looks from one eye to the other. It was like she was trying to see inside to Dark.

"N-nothing."

"You're scared. I am too, so you don't have to hide it from me."

The clicking of a door knob clearly sounds throughout the bathroom, causing us both to face directly ahead. Tears come stinging to both corners of my eyes.

"Risa, you don't know how scarier the situation just got."

**'Smooth, Daisuke. You might as well explain yourself to her while you're at it!'**

**-.-**

Satoshi's POV 

I brought a hand to hold my severely cramping abdomen, nearly going to my knees as I grounded my teeth together and waited for it to abate.

_What has caused these all of a sudden?_ This was the third time they'd came on and they were steadily getting worse.

Finally it dies back down, letting me straighten carefully. Still, it was twisting a bit. Releasing my abdomen, I finish washing the rest of me and turn to let the water drum on my back. It's always good therapy to let the warmth soak in there. Enjoying it, I tilt my head towards it. The rest of the lather runs off. At least in this moment I'm clean; still pure.

_Don't think about Triton! Dwelling on what may occur does no good!_

The stall unexpectedly brightens. I blink as the lighting appears, flaring greatly, and have to squint to see anything through watering eyes.

_Great! What's with the light sensitivity again?_

I haven't had any trouble within the last few days. Course, I've been out for most of that time...

For comfort, I rub the back of my neck, especially enjoying the spray running down on the sides of it. After just wishing for a dark, peaceful, little corner to finish soaking in, both my ankles give out.

"Wha...?"

Barely catching myself, I slide down sideways, opposite of the glass door, thankfully, and with a wet sounding plop, land on my side. Moving bangs out of my eyes, I prop myself on my arms and frown down at my feet. Nothing is visibly off about them, but they are hard to move.Have they fallen asleep on me? _Okay, so stress can do weird things to your body._ Blowing out a breath, I roll to my knees and my legs decide to follow suit with my ankles, making me land roughly belly-down on the shower's slick bottom.

"What is with this?" I ask, incensed, yet anxious. Something is wrong.

I bring a hand and wipe some of the running water out of my eyes. Objects on either side of my wrist startle me. I bring my other hand up and, sure enough, the same things are there, too. I rub some, touching protruding skin, amazed and a little frightened by them. They crest into small, firm domes and have close-lining ridges. Blues ranging in from deep tints to almost-white reflect with a sheen, almost like that of a metal sword, but only the ones on the outer parts of my wrists have any sharpness to them. In fact, my index finger gets stabbed on a point.

"Ouch," I mutter and watch in disbelief as a bead of blood wells up on the pad of my fingertip.

The twisting in my abdomen starts becoming more pronounced again. Since I can't move too well, I lower my head and plan to wait it out before trying to sit up. Hopefully I'll be able to stand within the next moment. Lucky me – this time it feels like my spine has become a rod of steel and my abdomen would be better off if it was splitting open.

"Gah!" I cry, and bury my face into my arms. _Just relax and let it pass._

Every muscle in each leg draws in so excruciatingly tight, that I fear they'll crush the very bones inside them. I ball my fists and try to flex my shaky back carefully in hopes that it'll in some way help. It's all getting close to unbearable, quickly surpassing the pain I'd felt inside my father's mansion. I can almost hear the sinew straining...

Unable to bear it anymore, I flip onto my back and hug myself in a death grip, trying to hold on until something lets up.

Nothing eases down.

Something flexes under my skin and I scream. I can't help it – I scream out with all the agony that will vent, and it sounds like a bloodcurdling wail to my ears. Which doesn't help. The deafening cry spins upwards as I rock frantically from one shoulder to the next, having never felt anything nearly this bad. Finally, left with a torn, raspy throat, I draw in a shuddery breath that's almost a whine, going into another screaming and shaking fit when what feels like ragged teeth rip down the insides of both my legs.

The white-hot burn of the tearing, the crushing pressure, the horrible twisting, it's all too much! Colored spots dance behind my eyelids.

I twist to my side and, suddenly, it's raining thick glass from the shower door. Pieces embed into my now responsive legs, but the shards still lodged within the frame proves to be the worst as I jerk, still caught in the throws of pain, and slice my own calf open. My horrid screaming dies only once I've run out of breath. Laying still for a minute; caught in paralyzed shock, yet beginning to have flooded sinuses from the shower spray, I twist again and curl. My one sliced leg is still firmly caught on the large triangles of glass. Jagged splits become worse and red now pours inside from over the shower's threshold, quickly turning the pooling water inside a watery crimson. Muscles draw in even more impossibly tighter and bulge oddly. One hip abruptly cracks loudly, signaling either a broken bone, or a dislocation. It's impossible to tell in the midst of everything. More pain beats into me. I bring my horribly shaking hands to cover over my water and tear streaked face.

"Mercy! Please!" I beg to anything that will listen.

**-.-**

Daisuke's POV 

"Oh, I'm so happy you're up! I thought you were a goner!" Triton says, as the door bangs inwards and hits the wall. I literally feel Dark shifting into a fighting stance inside me and mirror the action, coming to stand in what's call a 'Half Moon' stance. It's great for both easy defense and quick offense – turning sideways, legs position farther apart, with one side towards him. I turn my head to keep him in sight and place my fists to either side of me, wrists up. Triton lifts his hands up in early surrender.

"Whoa! I didn't come to fight you!"

**'Daisuke, keep him in plain sight at all times, but if he really didn't come here to drag us back to that room, then stall him and use the time to stretch properly. ****He's going to get a fight, no matter what!'**

I nod to seemingly no one and relax my posture, walking out of the bathroom to keep Risa behind me. Stretching some, I ask, "What are you doing here?" His eyes watch my movements greedily. It's almost enough to make me stop, but I need to warm up. I'm already at enough of a disadvantage without adding to it.

"I've just left your friend to his shower and came to see you. I'd heard that you were up and about. Had enough time to refresh yourself?"

"Not really." I keep on stretching, taking caution with my upper body because of my chest.

"Perhaps I was too hasty in wanting to see you then. Do you two need anything? I was just about to have lunch."

"Food would be good," I mumble before catching myself.

"Niwa! You can't trust him!" Risa gushes. Triton smiles, ignoring her.

"Of course it would. It has been so long since you've eaten, hasn't it? Any suggestions?"

**'Nothing from him! But, if we don't get out of here soon, we're going to be in trouble. You are in dire need of food... and so am **_**I**_**! Little snot just has to rub it in our faces knowing I won't accept anything from him!'**

"Um... nothing, thanks..." My nerves are steadily increasing and wish he'd just hurry and go away. Dark wants to fight, and surprisingly a part of me wants to, too, but I'm starting to think it's a bad idea.

"We can't have you starving now," he says, walking fully into the room and shutting the door behind him. He heads for the small TV. I hear an automatic lock clink into place from the doorway. Dark growls and Triton pauses to look over at me. I have to wonder if by some strange way he'd heard, or if it was just a timed coincidence. He bends to fiddle with the TV, pressing this and that on it. It beeps on.

"Here's a little something to keep you two occupied. I know it gets boring in here. But, before I let you have free reign of the channels, I want to see how our friend's doing."

"But, didn't you say he was in the shower?" Risa blushes and looks angrily at Triton. I do the same, but inside Dark pales.

**'Don't look! For the love of-'**

Triton presses more buttons on the TV and the frizzy screen switches. I gasp, caught in mid-step from moving to stop his lacking display of personal respect and Risa peeks through her fingers.

"Shit!" Triton yells, and jumps up, racing for the hall.

**-.-**

Risa's POV 

When Niwa gasped I couldn't help but look at the TV.

"Shit!" Triton yelled, and suddenly he was running for the door. The next instant, he was barreled into and knocked down by something with purple.

"You're going nowhere without us!" Dark grips Triton's neck tighter as he pins him to the floor, placing a knee in the middle of his upper back.

"If you don't let me go, your friend won't get the help he needs!" Triton tries to pull off the noose of fingers that are refraining just enough not to choke the life out of him, also trying to get one of his own knees up under himself to throw off Dark's pin.

"Someone has to be monitoring him also. You think I'm playing?" The struggle on Dark's face reveals the amount of control it's taking to keep his fingers from breaking the neck in his grasp. I didn't think Dark could be this violent, but his bare arms are flexing with barely leashed power.

"No and no. You either let me go, or your friend could die! Now!" Triton, try as he might, can't escape from the hold of the weakened Dark. It's almost as scary a concept for me as it is for the pinned, debased man.

"I think I'll take my chances!" Dark spits the words out with a repugnant curl to his lips, uncovering noticeably sharp canines.

"Dark!" I shout. It is obvious he's about to hurt and possibly kill Triton instead of considering Hiwatari. His amethyst-to-violet eyes hold a feral gleam, and the coiled tension in his muscles is about to erupt. "Let him go! If he can help-" I'm cut short as Dark hauls Triton up by the back of his shirt and slams him face forward into the plastered beige of the wall. It cracks, leaving an impression.

"Idiot!" Triton yelps, then he's somehow twisting from facing into the cracked plaster to facing Dark. A fist flies, knocking Dark down hard. Triton slings his ponytail from his bloody countenance, then jumps on top of him. Dark grunts from the brunt weight as they go into a roll, each trying to get the better of the other. Another fist flies, this time from Dark. Triton, who'd briefly won the struggle for top, is lifted off and rammed into the back of the door. With a frightened look, he pulling something from his pocket before Dark – who's eying him was malice – can pick himself up properly. The door beeps, then opens and he goes rushing out of it.

"No you don't!" Dark yells after him, and the two begin a noisy race down the hall.

I stare at nothing; stunned as their footsteps echo further away. What I'd seen earlier from the TV begins running through my mind. Hiwatari, curled on his right side, blood mixed in the pooled water. His lower torso was a whole and too long, ending with a vertical tail fin resembling a shark's. Various, beautiful, fragile fins lined his hip and waved from his streamlined body as the water misted him. There was a single, long, thin spine, webbed and positioned from his back like a dorsal. It reminded me of a sail when only out at half mast. He'd laid completely motionless, and I pray he had only passed out.

I look to the screen and see him still lying there, hoping that I'm not just imagining the possible breathing motions. My scuffled shoes clack as I run out onto the tiled hallway to follow the fighting pair. If I can do nothing more than provide some sort of distraction to help Dark out when the soldiers come, then I will do so, no matter what it takes. So far, the hall is clear. I hope that's a good sign. I also hope that we can get to Hiwatari before too long.

**-.-**

Dark's POV 

I am losing the damn bastard! And With isn't close enough to help me. The little guy is currently running loose elsewhere; has been since the wall accident and I'd gotten knocked back into Daisuke. I would imagine With ran knowing it was the smartest thing he could do and has probably been kept very busy aiding the Niwas. (Yes, I know they're here.) Thus far, he might be the only reason they haven't been captured. I'm truly glad he's okay.

One foot of mine trips over some unforeseen, invisible object and I quickly hop to my other, slinging myself back-first into the wall to keep standing; puffing and panting as Triton finally gets away by disappearing around a corner. With the layout of this place, he can get anywhere within very little time. I close my eyes, ground my teeth furiously, and slam a fist into the white cement behind me.

**'Dark, you IDIOT!' **Daisuke yells as his voice slowly starts coming back to me, emerging from under the hot haze of rage. **'How are we going to help Hiwatari now? And after all that, Triton got away! You gave up everything just to get him and look! Now Risa's unprotected and we're sitting ducks out here! WHAT WERE YOU THINKING?'**

"Dark!"

I regard the hall I'd came down to see Risa sprinting. She stops next to me as I slide to the floor. My shaky legs just won't support me anymore. As annoying as it is to admit it, Daisuke has all the right in the world to be ranting and raving at me.

"Now what do we do?" Risa asks.

Leaning back against the wall, I shrug and avert my eyes toward the direction in which Triton disappeared.

_This is far from over. I promise._

**-****)*(****-**


	36. Chapter 36

**-****)*(****-**

Satoshi's POV 

_So tired..._

_ Hurts... Everything hurts... Tired... Feel sick..._

Aching, twisting, throbbing muscles. Hot, pierced, bleeding flesh. Not having the energy to move it, my leg is still caught in the shower door's frame on the glass, but I attempt to move closer into the far corner of the shower anyway. I just want to get away from the blaring lights, though the energy to bother quickly empties down the drain.

_Strange... Legs feel so strange..._

Footsteps fall rapidly. It takes a second for me to discern the noisy pattern. Someone's approaching.

"Shit!" The word cuts clearly through the shower's spray. Something leans over me, providing a shadow and I avert my eyes from the corner of the shower to see _him_.

"This wasn't suppose to happen yet," Triton says as water pours over him, cleaning off blood smears to his bottom chin. Dimly, curiosity sparks. I wonder what trouble he'd gotten himself into. "If I'd have known I wouldn't have left."

He grabs my leg and quickly lifts it off the glass. I make a pathetic noise at his roughness.

"Come on now," he says, disappearing and just as quickly reappearing with a soft towel to pick me up. As apprehensive as I am about what's happening and as in desperate need of help as I am, I nevertheless can't stand his touch. But I can not do much to push away, even though I try. What little comfort I'd had leaves as he raises me out of the stall. I reach for anything to catch onto to pull myself out of his arms, scarcely keeping a plea from rising past my sore throat. Glass crunches as he walks and he tilts me to where our faces are nearly touching, nose to nose.

"Look at me, look at me, that's it. You need to breathe a little deeper, okay? Breathe a little slower."

I turn my head away and press my sensitive eyes closed against the spinning, grating lights, trying to keep from hyperventilating. He walks the rest of the way out of the room and wraps part of the towel against my sliced leg. I make a noise crossed between a whine and a sniffle, and lash out with a weak hit to his chest.

"It'll be okay," he soothes. "I know just what you need." His chest rumbles in my ear as he talks. Being so close I can't help hearing his heart beating. I focus on counting them to get my mind off the still circulating pain. He soon walks down the hall, past the red room and into a different one. It's huge and dark except for an eerie greenish glow. Water patterns dance along pitch black walls, emitting from a large in-ground pool. It's the only thing inside and it nearly fills the entire space.

"Before I let you go, I'm going to check those wounds of yours and make sure there is no lodged glass." He sets me by the pool, removes the towel, and begins checking my lower half with a small light from his pocket. I try to sit up to stop him.

"No," he orders and forces me back down. It's not a difficult feat to accomplish. He goes back to checking me over.

"Stop," I croak feebly. _I'm naked for Heaven's sake!_

"Just relax. I think all the glass got pushed back out of you anyway. The gash on your right isn't too good, but all you'll need is a bit of surgeon's glue, which I happened to have snatched on my way over to you." He produces a small bottle from his shirt pocket with a grin. Opening it, he applies it and pinches. It hurts a lot and I voice it. He lets go once the glue dries.

"That should do it," he says. "You're lucky that you didn't sever an artery and that it's ultimately not too deep, but you'll need something to help replace all the blood you lost. A blood transfusion isn't safe for you, but a plasma transfusion should be. I'll get that setup and bring you some red meat, or are you by chance one of those people whom would prefer peanut butter?"

"Does it really matter? It's not like you honestly care. I really don't think I could hold anything down, either way."

"Hey! I treat my pets good, so there! I'll go for the peanut butter since it'll be quickest, but first, let me get you into the water."

"What _is_ with you and my father trying to drown me?"

He stops hoisting me up to give a droll look.

"Don't tell me you don't remember breathing underwater?"

At his absurd words thoughts of the tank drift back to me. I'd woken up without a mask and already under, but I'd choked as soon as …what? I'd breathed? Then how was I breathing to begin with? But after that shot from the doctor... _No, that all has to have been a dream. _After all, I've been knocked out, tranquilized, shot with some weird blue dart... Yeah, any of those could have caused mass hallucinations. That tank might not have even been real. But, I cup a hand to one side of my neck, remembering Val when she'd found something that was odd.

"Yeah, you remember alright. You just don't want to admit it." He sees the conflict taking place on my face. "Things are more complicated for you than you ever thought," he says, watching my now quivering gaze. "But, you'll be okay. Come on, into the water now." He picks me up and slips me into the room temperature water by the shoulders, then lets go. To keep my head from plunging underwater I clutch him by the front of his shirt.

"Yikes! Easy! You're going to pull me in there with you. That and your claws are sharp!" He grabs my hand and I willingly let go after feeling my fingers slip in past the clothes material. I'm already sinking when he pulls me up by the one hand; stopping when the beginnings of my waist lifts above the water's shiny surface.

"What do you mean?" I sputter, looking at him with one wide eye. The other was currently covered by wet bangs. He stares with disapproval.

"Are you so clueless that you haven't put anything together yet? First off, take a look at your hand so that you know what you have and don't accidentally maul yourself. Secondly, look down at yourself. Thirdly, if you start breaking down in my arms, I'm dropping you immediately into the water. Go ahead," he says after I hesitate, "look at your hand." He gestures with his other hand to my free one.

I make a fist and slowly bring it up, then unfurl it palms up. Those weird protrusions are still on my wrists, but all else is normal. With a glance to him that he returns, he takes my free hand to turn it over. I look. Still nothing out of the ordinary.

"Hmm... Guess you gotta really want to grab onto something for them to be out then."

We glance back to each other and he suddenly grins. He lets go of me, causing the surface of the water to break, then just as quickly has a hold of both my hands.

"Ow! Ow! Ow! You're like a frigging cat!" he complains. "See? This is what I was talking about." He shoves my hand directly in front of my nose. Past my fingertips are swells of curved claws, clear except for the tiny red and blue veins running through the middles of each individual one. My grip slackens and the claws dive back under my cuticles, making the skin on my knuckles rise repulsively before locking discretely back into place underneath.

"With you making that face at that, I'm really going to hate it when you look down. You know, though, you really are cute." He pulls me into a hug, almost like he can't resist. I almost choke. "Alright," he says, pulling away, "look down."

"It'll be a mistake if I do."

"Why?"

"It just will."

"Why don't you try moving your bottom portion then? I haven't seen you once try."

I do and something splashes, propelling me into a small jump.

"Whoa!" He gets a better hold underneath my arms. "Well? … You're not very happy, are you?"

"No. Both my legs are there, but they don't want to work individually, so I've an idea of what's there now." I look down to see anyway.

"I'm... not a mermaid." My brain officially quits. In fact, it's more like I'm now standing beside myself. This must be what extreme shock feels like. Does it also include an icy sensation flooding in your veins? Disbelief runs a mantra inside my head.

"No you're not, but you're close. You're something new, so we have to find out what abilities you have. Okay, before you suddenly kill over or something, I'm going to get that stuff."

Triton takes me to an area that gently slopes and sets me partially into the water. Wow, he actually considered me instead of just letting me go.

"You're taking this pretty well, you know?" he says cheerily, as he steps away backwards.

"Only on the outside." I look up at him. His expression looks genuinely caring.

"Well, I'll be right back."

His steps echo faintly off the top of the water as he turns and heads out. Light dashes in from the door before it shuts, leaving me to myself. Water trickles as I lift my hands to inspect them properly. The killer claws are still sheathed, but how is it that my fingernails appear normal? Are the claws completely separate from them? I move to my wrists.

"What good are these?" They wouldn't help in swimming and aside from the few spiky points of sharpness on the outside ones, they're useless. They're colorful though. _Are they suppose to be for show? What am I, entering mating season? _I shake my head. _Have to stop letting Triton influence my thought patterns. _I get quite enough of that from Krad... whom is sleeping... I think... There's nothing coming from him at least. Not even the vibe from him that's usually present.

I submerge my lower half fully into the water, not wanting to analyze it quite yet and face towards where the door should be, prompt by my elbows and laying with my chin supported on my palms.

"Dark, why don't you come put me out of my misery? Don't you know I just love being a Hikari?" There will be no opportunity for me to escape being like this, and there is no way I'm calling a pool home, no matter how comfortable it is. I'm part human, damn it! I intend on living what short life I've got like one!

**'I was hoping this would skip you.'**

'Don't start with me, Krad. I'm liable to kill myself just to spite you.'

**'Allow me to diverge some information before you do.'**

'No.'

**-.-**

Daisuke's POV 

"Why haven't any of the guards, or soldiers, or whatnot greeted us yet?" I ask to Risa beside me. We'd walked all the way down a few halls without a stray sound from anywhere, not even from behind any of the rows of office doors. It's really creepy. Maybe they're simply watching us. But, why?

"I don't know," she whispers, while brushing some locks of hair over her shoulders. She walks with a slight crouch. "Do you have the feeling that we're being watched?" I gulp and nod my head, still looking straight, getting more afraid with each passing second that a trap is suddenly going to spring off. Course, since we hadn't run into anything by now we're not very likely to.

'Dark, can you please just try to sense Hiwatari?' Dark was not pleased. This was the fourth time I'd asked him to open his magic and feel for Krad's.

**'No. How many times do I have to tell you?'**

'I know you're worried about the phoenix, but I'm more worried about Hiwatari! The phoenix might not even "wake up". Besides that, you said you weren't worried so much because of me. Let me act as your anchor then and just try already! We can't keep walking around here lost forever.'

**'Daisuke, I've already told you where With is. Please just head there. I'm sure some of the others are close by him.'**

'We can't leave Hiwatari here!'

**'You saw the screen! He won't even be able to walk! How can we get him out of here even if we do find him? Carrying is not an option when you're making a break for it!'**

'I can't leave him!' Tears sting my eyes and I swipe them away with the back of my hand. Risa doesn't need to them and become worried about me.

**'It's better to save one out of two rather than none. Think of Risa. For that matter, think with a level head! Go towards the family for back up! Something!'**

'Don't talk to me about being level-headed! You know mom will choose me over risking us for Hiwatari!'

**'DAISUKE! I know I'm not always the best, but I know what I'm talking about here! Either listen to me, or I'm taking over! Your choice!'**

I swipe at my eyes again and keep on forward. Risa keeps up beside me. I pick up my pace some and hear her do the same. A scowl comes to my face as I devise, marching even faster, passing the hall Dark had previously told would eventually lead to With. I was going to find Hiwatari and get him out of here with us, no matter what.

'You just try taking over, Dark!' I challenge.

**-.-**

Satoshi's POV 

"Hey! Wake up Sleeping Beauty!"

Awaking to my nose being gruffly pinched shut along with my mouth completely covered, I come to splashing in the shallow water, scrambling to my back to throw off his hands for air. But a minute goes by and I still can't get free.

"Silly, your neck is submerged, use your gills. Oh never mind, you're turning even more blue." He releases and I sit up gasping. Adrenaline courses strongly and shredding him to pieces is more than appealing to me at the moment.

"You don't possess even the most basic of instinct with this. Am I going to have to drug you just so you can learn? You've done it before, you know, but apparently only while under heavy doses." He sits before me on his knees. I really want to tackle and floor that twinkle out of his amused silver-gray eyes.

"Well, I've got the plasma ready to hook to your arm, and I've got the peanut butter over there." He points to a nearby jar close by the edge of the pool. "Just let me have your arm and I'll attach everything."

I give him my left and he preps it. The iv catheter barely stings going in. He reaches round for a portable iv unit and brings it teetering with an almost clear bag of fluid. He unwraps the iv's cord and once again takes my arm to slip the hypodermic needle in. Again, it barely stings. I've never cared for needles, but after all that's happened, the little sting means nothing.

"Here you go," he says, as he hands me the jar from the edge of the pool. "It's all yours. What type of meat do you prefer?" I take it just to keep him from possibly trying anything funny with it.

"I don't want any, thanks."

"Well, I'm having steak cooked for me. I think I'll order you one too. Probably as rare as possible would be best, right?"

"I don't like blood in my food."

"Hmm?" He gives me a once over. "I think your base type is a carnivore, so we'll see."

"Not. Hungry. Thanks," I say the words individually and slowly to see if he can be made to understand.

"Whatever. Eat your peanut butter, I'll be right back again." He dusts himself off then leaves me alone a second time. I frown after him, then for a distraction read the label on the jar in my hand.

"Jiff?"

Actually, I am hungry. Well, sort of. I've never been much of an eater, but I want something. I just don't know what. Opening the jar, I break the seal, peeling back the foil. It smells good, but I still don't know. Scooping some with my finger, I try it. It almost knocks me for a loop. The taste is extremely strong. I've tried peanut butter before but don't remember it being this potent. Not sure whether I like the change or not, I go for more. It's strangely addicting...

Some time later, Triton finally comes back with trays.

"What's wrong with you?" he asks, while walking over and setting the trays down to check me.

"Nothing," I mumble, then jerk from a suppressed hiccup. He stares at me, trying to figure out the problem of why I look a little sick. I back further into the water, accidentally knocking over the empty jar of peanut butter. He watches it roll, then fetches after it.

"You ate the whole jar?" He looks at it in his hand, then over at me. I sink down into the water some and don't answer. The proof is in the pudding, or better yet, butter, or rather, the lack thereof.

"That can't be feeling good. Why did you go and do that? All that in your system at once is asking for an overload."

"I honestly don't know. I just couldn't stop."

"Your body's obviously in need of something then. Any cravings?"

I shake my head, feeling like I'd been caught guilty of something.

"Hmm... Well, again, I'll be right back. I'm going to get a wastebasket for you. I don't think you'll be holding down all that rich peanut butter for long."

He leaves a third time and I glance at the foil covered trays he'd brought. My stomach threatens. Why didn't I stop eating the peanut butter when I got down to half a jar? Stupidity. No wonder it's a sin to glut.

"Will I ever be able to walk again?" I ask out loud. If I ever do get my legs back, I'm going to be completely naked. I don't like the thought of being "The Streak" but if I get my legs back I'm out of here. My face is getting hot from imagining it and my stomach isn't feeling any better. Should have refrained from thinking about it, now that wastebasket might not make it in time...

**-.-**

Risa's POV 

"Niwa, are you sick? Can you keep going?"

"Yes- I mean, I'm not sick but, yes, I can keep going."

He'd stopped to lean on the wall for a second time, only this time he'd trembled. I walk up next to him and place a hand on his shoulder. He lifts his head to gaze at me.

"What's wrong?" I ask.

He licks his lips nervously, then turns away to hide his eyes as he takes up a hand to his chest, taking a deep breath.

"Dark doesn't want us to be here. He wants us to leave now without Hiwatari. I'm managing to suppress him, but I don't know how much longer I can. I honestly didn't think he would fight me. It's too much like Krad... and I thought with the threat of the phoenix he wouldn't really push. But, he's being almost brutal."

Something has changed with Dark. I knew that much from watching the fight with Triton earlier, but deep down he's still caring, still good.

"We find Hiwatari, or we don't leave at all. We'll be the Three Musketeers, alright? Or is it four...?"

He chuckles some. "Wouldn't it be great if we could count five?"

"Huh?"

He shakes his head and stands straight. "I was including Krad in, but never mind. That more than likely wouldn't work out too well."

**-.-**

Satoshi's POV 

**'If you would stop shutting me out I could help you understand this.'**

Ignoring Krad, I move my tail fluke rapidly sideways through the water. Getting a great deal of my strength back, this torso was proving to be quite powerful. It reminds me of a longer, slender version of a Great White, except that there are a few different placement of fins.

**'I'll be glad when the magic of the transformation wears off and you change back. At least in that form I have a chance of coming out from time to time.'**

That snatches my interest.

**'So, you want to listen?'**

'Naturally. You mean this magic _will _wear off and I'll have my legs back? What is stopping you from taking over?'

**'The Hikari's magic is at its peek when you are like this. It prevents me from taking over because I originated from it and cannot surpass it in terms of power. On top of that, I am only half of what I was suppose to be.'**

'Makes sense. So, how long do I have like this?'

** 'As long as it takes for your body to adapt to this form and for you to get what you need to switch back.'**

'Which is?'

** 'More food.'**

My stomach feels heavier at this, reminding me that it still wasn't excepting all that peanut butter.

_I won't be able to touch any food for a while._

**'Should have realized sooner what was going on with you.'**

'Hmm?'

** 'Your form started rejecting me when I took over at the Niwas. I should have realized what that meant.'**

The door opening catches my attention and Krad is, out of habit, forced back again; none too happily.

"Still feeling sick?" Triton asks, as he carries in the promised wastebasket.

"Some, but mostly I just feel... hyper."

"Oh? That's good. You should probably take the plasma iv out then. Want your steak?" He slides the tray over as I place the removed iv equipment down.

"No."

"Well, it's really good." He lifts off one's covering foil to reveal nothing but steak. Lots of it. All of it is mostly a pinkish-red. I looked at it disdainfully, but the smell makes my stomach growl. How I can go from feeling unpleasantly full to empty in the space of a heartbeat just isn't understandable.

"Here," he says and pushes it towards me.

"It's practically raw. I'm not touching it."

He takes it back. I watch as he picks up a knife and cuts off a purely red piece. Using a fork, he stabs the piece and puts it under my nose. I jerk away.

"Try it," he demands.

"I'm not hungry!"

"Trust me and try it! I won't be nice about it a third time."

He thrusts it over and touches the meat against my lips. It's hard to say exactly what goes through me at the contact. I want to purr at the succulent smell that pulls at me. Something screams at me to take it before it's taken away. I flinch as if electrocuted. My mouth suddenly feels fuller, the gums itching and aching in an unfamiliar way.

Sensing a possible open opportunity, Triton pushes the meat into the crevice of my lips. Its juices flood in. Excitement and pleasure sing in my veins. This is what I was in need of. I jerk the meat from the fork with guilty hunger and chew slowly, savoring the taste, the texture. Closing my eyes, I swallow in bliss. Once my dazed eyes open, Triton looks at me with a grin.

"Definitely carnivore," he says.

A bit humiliated, I know I'm going to have to have more of that meat. Judging by the expression on his face, Triton knows it, too. He dips his finger into some of its red juices and quickly rubs it on my lips. I'm aware of it coming. I narrow my eyes at him before turning away and licking it off. This is unfortunately proving to be a sad and deplorable weakness for me, but he isn't going to gain an advantage this easily. It's time to change attitude, catch him off guard, and see who wins where it counts. But, good gosh, does it have to be bloody? That's just gross.

**-.-**

Daisuke's POV 

'Dark, instead of hindering me, why don't you call With to help us? He could get Risa out of here and leave you free to take on Triton,' I almost beg. His unrelenting force is nearly suffocating me and I feel torn. We pass by another office door and Risa pauses to crack it carefully open. We'd gotten into this habit when we deemed ourselves alone, at least in this part of the building. Makes no sense to me – Triton should have reported our breakout long ago.

**'You should know better than to tempt me. Now stop and go back!'**

We pause in our walk at another office door. This time I open it. Nothing is there but a desk with paperwork littering haphazardly. I rub my forehead in frustration and because Dark is causing a pulsing headache.

"Let's not give up," Risa says beside me, also peering in. There is a bit of disappoint shown in her stance.

"We're far from giving up." Continuing on down the hall, I catch Risa giving me side glances. "What is it?" I ask concerned.

"N-nothing!" she stammers. She offers no explanation so we check a few more doors, pitted in a now awkward silence. Each one of the rooms are totally different from the last. One can be a regular office, the next can be a huge gym. This place is made to throw you off and keep you there.

A noise from the intersection of the four halls ahead startles me. Risa doesn't appear to have heard as she continues on forward. I quietly lunge and move to stand in her path, facing her and pressing my fingers to my lips. She brings a hand up to cover her mouth and slinks back, unmistakably afraid. I point towards the last door we'd opened. She looks at it, then nods at me. We cross the short distance over, all the while my ears are straining to pick up anymore stray noises. Risa rushes into what looks like a small supply closet. If worse comes to worst, there is equipment we can use for defending ourselves. As I go to step in, I find I can't move.

'Dark! Let me go! Are you crazy?' This was what he'd done back at my house when he'd first sensed Triton's squad entering the premises. 'You're going to get us caught!'

"Niwa! What are you waiting for?" Risa hisses urgently.

**'You should have listened to me.'**

"Dark won't let me go!" I squeak, high-pitched with fear. He hasn't been able to overpower my will before, so how is he doing this at this particular moment? I hear another stray noise and swivel my head to scan the hall. Risa grabs me by the arm and tries to pull me inside. Dark forcefully jerks my arm out of her grasp and backs up. She is taken aback and we both gasp, stunned.

'Dark! You're insane!'

** 'The stronger my emotions and the more convinced I am of myself, the more stronger I become, and this is the perfect time to take over.'**

'Dark, stop!' He takes my form and faces where the two noises had originated from. It's like being a ship thrown to the mercy of the raging sea.

'**Daisuke, don't start crying! Just give them a second and look!'**

I blink and stare stupidly. My dad was coming from around the hall and so was mom, followed by ...Riku? What is she doing here? Were they the reason no guards had come for us? But, how? They spot me in an instant and Dark lets go. I turn towards Risa.

"It's okay, it's just my parents and your sister."

"Really? Riku?" She looks as dumbfounded as me and rushes out of the closet with a smile. With takes the lead from my parents, bounding as they all rush down the hall. A smile stretches across my face and I go for them in an all out run. The twins meet first, hugging and crying ecstatically, jumping and squealing in their reunion. I dimly note that it's one of Riku's shoes that caused the noise I'd heard before mom catches me in her embrace and actually lifts me to her.

"Daisuke! You don't know how worried we've been. Oh! It's been hell!"

"I know, Mom." I start crying before I can say anything else. Suddenly, dad's arms come around us. From the slight tremors in his hold, it is clear that he's overcome with emotions as well. With finally finds a place to bound to and jumps on top of my head, kyuuing.

"Are you okay, Son?" Dad asks.

I nod and bury into mom's neck. Riku and Risa are still jumping around. _This is Heaven! We're all safe!_

** 'Not yet.'**

Mom sets me down, and With takes to my shoulders, rubbing on one cheek. I offer him a pat and rub my cheek back into his fur, then I'm moving to hug dad. My head only comes up to his chest. He acts pleasantly surprised by my actions and returns the embrace.

"Daisuke," Riku says from behind me. I let go to turn around, wiping my eyes. Out of the corner of my vision I see dad doing the same thing. "I'm sorry for how I acted. Please forgive me, I didn't mean what I said. After hearing stories from your parents these last few days, I understand some things better now."

"It's alright, Riku." Her arms come timidly around me and I blush as she hugs me. "We were all so worried! I thought I would never get to apologize!"

"I'm sorry, too, Riku. So sorry that I lied, that I hid. I'm so very sorry." A geyser of warmth rushes into my chest. I feel freer, lighter, so very happy.

"You know," she says and lets go, "I can even see where I misjudged Dark. He's not a pervert so much as he is just playful." I cough a bit.

"Yeah! If you want to meet a pervert, go find Triton!" Risa exclaims matter-of-fact like. I silently agree with her and that's when I realize something.

'Dark, you could have came out with Riku just then.'

**'Yeah, so?'**

'Why didn't you?'

** 'You two deserved the moment.'**

'Thanks, Dark!'

"Alright, it's time we get out of here," mom says. I pale.

"We can't leave yet, we have to get Hiwatari!"

"Do you know where he is?" My dad asks.

"We don't," Risa speaks up, "but we've checked a good number of halls already."

"We have to get you and the twins out of here, Daisuke. Your father and I will come back for him," mom says, while turning her gaze from Risa to me.

"He was hurt and lots of time has already passed! Take the twins, I'm going to keep looking!"

"Daisuke! Just look at your chest! You're in no condition to be running around!"

"It doesn't hurt! Please, Mom!"

"Daisuke, I agree with your mother," dad says, practically sealing the issue. I gape, unsure of what to say.

'Darn it! Dark, if you would have just told me we'd heard the family, we could have let Risa be found and kept searching for Hiwatari on our own! But, you wanted this, didn't you?'

**'I did.'**

_ What am I going to do?_

** 'Simply follow your parents, or I get to say "hi" to everyone.'**

**-****)*(****-**


	37. Chapter 37

**-****)*(****-**

Satoshi's POV 

Hoisting myself up and out of the water along the ramp, I back completely away from the pool. Other than the dragging sound that my lower half makes with its little wet smacks against the hard floor, this is done fairly quietly. Triton left about five minutes previous, taking the dishes, leaving me for what I presume will be a while by myself. Although cameras can never be too far, but I want to dry off and see if that might help the return of my legs somehow. I believe what set the transformation off was the fact that I was in water, and salt water at that. I could be making a mistake, though. I'll know soon enough if I have to scramble back for the pool.

Krad had decided some time ago not to bother talking with me. He's probably waiting on the magic to wear off so he can try taking control. Best to be ready for him then.

My form is odd like this and it's getting tiresome to keep in a sitting position with no legs to help stabilize me. I look to the doors that can't necessarily be seen in the covering darkness, wondering where Niwa and Harada are and if they're alright. My mind wonders to what Krad had revealed about the past earlier... and I shudder. Too weird for me. So easy I almost miss it, Krad moves. Was he reading my thoughts? It's not like I'm currently blocking them. Maybe I should be.

An all-around tightening in my lower half warrants my attention. It even looks as if the bluish skin is shrinking. I'd dried off, and already started drying out. My eyes dart back to the water. Should I go to it? Or should I just wait what ever this is out? I could be turning back... or I could be about to experience great pain again, with no good outcome. _Don't be a coward! _Good, or bad, I need to see which way this is heading. The drying out continues and my body begins crying out for water. Trembling starts. The cool of the water taunts me.

"Mmph," I grunt and shiver as a thin pain slices somewhere within the middle of where my legs used to be. A bit of hope comes up, but so does fear. There is no way to tell if I'm actually damaging myself by trying this, this early on, but I want out of here – need out of here. Pink tinges blue, and soon a thin line of blood halves straight up and down. A powerful sting wells up and burning becomes apparent.

"Oh, God," I breathe and lift my face upwards in a vain attempt at distancing myself. Horrible twisting joins the burning. It almost flares white-hot. I can't take it yet! Like a coward, I move quickly back towards the water, a prisoner of my own doing simply because I can't face the pain. A cool rushing sensation fills me as I submerge some. Eventually the pain dies off.

"I'm such a coward," I mutter down to my reflection across the surface of the water. My face feels suddenly bare. The weight of my glasses have become a comfort me. I mostly use them as a shield against Krad, but somehow they'd become a sort of defense against the rest of the world, too. I could hide behind them whenever it felt like too much was going on around me. _Such a coward!_

I hit the water, shattering my reflection into sprays and turn away. Distant splashing over the opposite side of the pool causes me to face back. Water was sloshing over the edge with a bit of power. I watch as it slowly eases off to its normal level. _Surely I didn't cause that? _I look at my hands. Those fins, protrusions, or whatnot on my wrists were glowing slightly. A resonance pulsed out to the water surrounding me. Another cool rush answered. It filled me. Hardly daring to believe, I lightly skim the water beneath my palm. A barely controlled current runs excitedly along my hand and the water wraps tenderly around my fingers like a long lost friend.

Lifting my hand up, the water follows, erecting like tiny rotating water spouts, swirling around each of my fingers. I gasp and suddenly the water falls away. I'd lost it. Whatever _it _was. My ancestors have a_ lot_ of explaining to do. Should I practice this? _No, I don't want them knowing more about me than they already do. _If the need arises, then I'll just hope I can use this.

"Hmm..." _This could prove highly valuable. _I glance at the doors again.

**-.-**

Daisuke's POV 

We had all lined up as we followed my parents to the exit that only they knew of. The few noises came from Riku's one faulty shoe again, as well as the rush of fast breathing from one of us occasionally letting nervousness get the upper hand.

At the end of the line, I turn around discreetly and try to sneak away... for a third time.

"Ack!" I grab my chest and stumble backward towards the wall.

Everyone turns to look back at me, nearly jumping out of their skins. Dark had sent another horrible pain through my chest. He'd stopped me from sneaking away to save Hiwatari... again. Mom looks at me, almost annoyed.

"You sure you're okay, Daisuke?" dad asks.

_Aside from having a back-stabbing thief inside me, I'm fine._

**'Hmph! It's for your own good!'**

"Dad, I want to go back."

He gives me a knowing expression. "And, Dark is stopping you," he says. Guilty, I nod my head. "Why?" he inquires about Dark's weird behavior, not angered at all by my attempt to disobey him and mom.

My eyes trail from his and slowly take in the sterile white tiles of the floor. How was the touchy subject of Dark's phoenix form suppose to be explained? It has to be that form that's making Dark so jumpy; why he's refusing to work with me. A way of discussing it comes.

"Dark-" I'm cut short as another pain pierces my chest. The fierceness of it stuns me and I drop to my knees with my arms around me, putting my head to the floor.

"Daisuke!"

"He won't let me say!" I cry out, petrified. "What's wrong with him!" I sob. "He's been getting steadily worse since the beginning of all this! Why?" Someone's hand comes to my shoulder.

**'Daisuke, I'm sorry, but I don't want them knowing about the phoenix.'**

'Something is wrong with you! You never would have hurt me like this before!'

He cringes.

**'I need out right quick, Daisuke. Let me take control.' **He starts trying to take over. It's not gentle at all and it hurts. What's worse is I don't think he's even trying to hurt me, it's just happening. Maybe because I'm scared of him right now and it's causing this friction.

"Daisuke, can you stand up?" dad asks me. I grab my chest and shake my head fast. There is no way I can move. If feels like if I do, Dark will bust out. Right now, he's just being held back by a thread. My eyes widen at a sudden realization and tears come to fall. This is how Krad is to Hiwatari. This must be the same pain he feels every time. An empty feeling comes, then a shoving sensation as I'm removed from the situation.

**-.-**

Dark's POV 

Shaking some, I stand and throw the purple bangs out from my vision. For some reason the transition this time had hurt Daisuke, and I have a bad idea as to why it did. I brace on the wall behind me and make out Kosuke's face through the colored spots I'm seeing. He doesn't look happy. With the way Daisuke acted, I can't say I blame him.

"Dark, what's going on?" he demands. I glance to Riku and Risa to find them worried. Risa wants to reach out to me, but her sister keeps her from doing so. I try not to notice.

"I'm not going to bother sweetening this situation. I'll only tell you that this is between me and Daisuke. Our focus needs to be on getting out of here while the going is still good. We don't need to worry about someone sneaking off back into trouble."

Immediately Kosuke tenses. Guess I struck a nerve with him being so protective and all. He quickly tries to calm his posture to seem more relaxed. _He thinks he knows how to handle me._ Anger flares with the thought. _What is my problem today? _I'm being so defensive. I sigh very wearily.

"Can we just keep going?" I ask.

"Yeah," he answers. "But, you are going to have a lot of explaining to do."

My eyes narrow as I close in on Kosuke. "You have some explaining to do yourself." I hadn't forgotten the ease in which he had navigated through those dark tunnels. Something isn't normal about him. My shoulder bumps him as a go around him. I'm being such a jerk, but darn if it doesn't feel good right now. Emiko turns around and continues walking. I follow behind her, not bothering to give attention to the ones behind me.

"Kyuu."

'Not now, With.'

We walk in silence down more white hallways. The darn color, or lack of, is getting on my nerves. Rows of lights blare above, and I can't help but feel trapped as if in a dream. It's like we're getting nowhere because nothing is changing around us. At last, we turn down another hall and a set of steel doors give something different to look at. Even though they're sterile looking, too, it's still better. A quarter down the hall I don't notice the slight numbing coursing through me; I'm too focused on the steel spelling freedom. But, Kosuke notices something is not right.

"Dark, you're not looking well," Kosuke says. I stop walking and turn towards him, about to state otherwise so we can keep moving on, but the expression that takes to his face cuts the lie away before I can force it out. He's studying me with something akin to horror, and so are the girls.

"That's ...unbelievable," Riku says in awe. Risa appears frantic as she watches me.

I glance down at myself, seeing my caved, bare chest and raise an eyebrow. My skin is very clammy and gray, with blue arteries becoming more and more pronounced. They map out all over my body. This can't be good.

"Oh," I say. "Well, this is new."

"What is causing this?" Emiko asks me, rushing up and falling into mother mode. Honestly, I don't know. I'm not doing this.

"Let's keep going," I say, and brush past for the doors. Emiko and Kosuke mutter something, but I don't pay it any mind. The girls begin walking again. We're about half way when that numbing turns into something worse. It's comparable to tiny claws making their way through you, picking and tearing. My insides feel like they are being crawled through. I make a gagging sound before falling over.

"Dark!" one, or two, heck maybe even all of them scream my name. The room is spinning. I'm burning up. I press a hand to the floor and pick back up before they can properly surround me. I don't want to be fussed over. I may go nuts if I don't get out of this place right this minute. Someone helps me stand, but their features aren't clear enough to tell who it is. I shake my head and just make for the doors again. A hand grabs mine and I pull away. _Don't stop me. I want out!_

"Dark, stop! You can't make it by yourself! Didn't you hear what I just said? Arteries and veins are sticking up all over you! Quit walking!" Emiko shouts with tears in her voice. More voices sound garbled in the background. I turn and look at Emiko, who is right next to me, and make an effort to calm down for her. I've never almost panicked inside a building before, but this is a very hated place. Sweating, I stare and she moves to grab me by the arm.

"Kosuke, grab his other arm," she directs behind me. I feel him come up beside the wall and take my other arm. Together, they nearly tote me down the rest of the length of hallway. Inside, things become maddening. With each step the clawing gets so much worse. Pressure quickly rises as if I'm far underwater. My head feels about ready to explode. I grumble as my head goes back and I go limp. They give a bit of a surprised sound, but they manage to catch my weight before I slip all the way to the floor. My eyes close on their own volition.

"What's wrong with him?" one of the girls cry.

"We don't know!" Emiko about yells.

They stop and I'm moved, repositioned to be carried by Kosuke. They hurry on for the doors. Right before we reach it, claws gather and attempt to rip out of my stomach. I cry out and jump, trembling and spasming, wanting to get away from the terrible pain. Kosuke just barely holds on to me. Confused shouts start up and I taste something metallic.

Blood.

It's streaming from my nose.

"Go back!" I hear Emiko yell amidst hysterical crying of the two girls. "Whatever this is, it only gets worse the closer we move towards the doors!"

"Right! I'm glad you all figured it out before he died," a voice that had me even in this state growling crackled over a ceiling speaker. "Now put my prize down and the rest of you might be able to leave, unharmed."

"Emiko, you go with the girls," Kosuke says. Emiko rounds up the panicking girls and runs while Kosuke turns around to do the same with me in his arms. We were heading back into the white hallway. _No..._ But even as I think this, the clawing and pressure lifts. I start struggling anyway.

"Dark! Dark! Stop! We'll find another way out of here!" I open my eyes to look at his. Vision is fuzzy.

"It won't matter," I choke out as loudly as I can. My insides hadn't recovered yet. "The same thing will happen. Just go back!"

"Are you crazy?" He keeps running. "You look almost dead! What's causing this?"

"Nanomachines."

**-)*(-**


	38. Chapter 38

**-****)*(****-**

Satoshi's POV 

A few minutes pass as slow as an eternity in this room. The light greenish pattern of the water reflects and dances dizzily from off the pure black surrounding walls and ceiling. It's almost like I'm in a black hole and the lit water is the only source of light. I stare up as a drift on my back to the middle of the large pool, feeling an easy current playing underneath me. _What a strange power I have, but what can I really do with it? _I question quietly to myself. _What can I do at all? There is no way for me to get word out to any of my officers. I can't even leave this room..._

I turn into the water and try to clear my mind from its frustrations. The water really is soothing, I can almost imagine a joy soaking into me from within it. Sadly, there's not enough time to allow my mind to be strayed for long...

_If I could get something so simple as my legs back, I might be able to do something. But, what? What could I do? I don't think that I can take Triton and any number of his men out. If I could just sneak out... Yeah, right! But... maybe... there is something that I can do..._

I take a few more minutes, allowing a plan to begin formulating, but once the end of my sinking tail fin touches the pool's rough concrete bottom, I jerk and lose all train of thought, gazing straight up through an impossible fifteen feet of greenish water.

_Impossible! How did I-... When did I-..._

I have no more chance to think as I choke, filled with disbelief and water. After a few shocked seconds I'm streaming back up, all the while I'm wondering how it was possible for me not to notice my position under the water. You would think I'd have noticed the pressure differences the further I went down, or something. Heck, don't mind the fact that I was using gills and managing to breathe the entire time! But, why is it I can only use them when I'm not aware of needing them?

My head breaks the surface and a relieving breath fills my depleted lungs – almost not quickly enough. A quick shake of my head gets rid of the trickling water on my face. I want to try this again... No, need to try this again, and this time learn what it is I'm doing to breathe underwater.

One, two, three times I dip under and there is nothing but the feeling of suffocation each time. Breathing normally is definitely not the thing to do. Gulping water isn't the answer; it's only about as pleasant as drinking from the ocean. I gasp a final time over the water's surface. Holding my breath and seeing if "instincts" would direct me also had held no luck. I wipe a hand across my eyes.

"I give up. Just give me my legs back already!"

**-.-**

Dark's POV 

I wobble, hovering over a stainless steel sink and spit out the nasty taste of blood. Closing my eyes, I reach blindly for the rack of paper towels I'd seen and, grabbing one, angrily swipe at my bleeding nose. Deep red soaks into the plain towel. With impatience I ball it up and throw it to land in an small trash can. It bounces off the rim and to the floor. I eye it evilly and try not to think of all the little nanomachines that must be mixed on it. I grab another paper towel for my nose and walk to a plastic blue chair sitting in the middle of the room by a brown table. This little side getaway we're in looks to be a small break room. At least this place isn't as sterile looking as the hall outside. Do I dare check out the fridge that's on the far side of the room for a snack? The counters lined on the wall around us are barren, with nothing as simple as a coffee maker decorating the empty space, and the cupboards above them don't appear to have been touched in awhile with all the cobwebs stretched over them. Grudgingly, I look to Kosuke sitting in his own plastic chair beside me. His glazed over eyes tell me he's deep in thought, and his prominent frown tells me whatever he's thinking about has him seriously worried. He roughly brings a hand up to rub at the back of his head in an unusual show of annoyance.

"Any ideas, Kosuke?" I hate to have to ask, but I'm at a loss here. There is no way I can do much of anything to escape if I can't so much as walk next to the exit's door. And while they were at it they probably blocked me from any other form of exiting. Kosuke blinks slowly and breathes out heavily before glancing at me and putting his hand down, only to look away again, troubled.

"Are you able to use magic at all, Dark?" he asks quietly. The hesitation of this question is very pronounced. He doesn't want anymore stress put on Daisuke's body. I finish cleaning the remainder of blood from my nose; it's finally stopped bleeding. Throwing the spotty towel to land in the trash can in the corner behind me, I brush a few fingers absentmindedly over my still-tender midsection. I gather the fingers into a determined fist and focus on it. None of my magic stirs. I only feel a small signature of my energy, and even that's getting weaker.

"Teh! I've got nothing." I hang my head. Kosuke sits sideways in his chair to face me.

"You don't have enough to shadow completely for even a second?" he asks me importantly.

_Tch! Does he know how much energy and skill that takes? _An angry mark appears on my forehead.

"Look, I barely have the energy needed to do a backwards flip. On top of that, silver from somewhere is still hindering my capabilities. I don't know if I could work with magic even if I was in the best of condition." I glance up into Kosuke's concerned expression and try to rid myself of my pointless anger. (It proves really hard at the moment.) "That Triton really has done a number on me."

"This couldn't be simple, could it?" he asks and puts his head into one hand dejectedly, turning back to sit normally in his chair. He's far from giving up, it's evident as he continues to space out and think.

"Nope," I tell him and copy his posture.

"Before we can do anything to escape, we need to get rid of those nanomachines. I was hoping if you went shadow, those things could just fall out of your then unsubstantial form."

"Good idea," I praise his constructive mind, "but, going shadow wouldn't solve anything. The nanos are streaming inside me and are like a part of me. In order to turn, I'd have to have enough power to turn them insubstantial as well. Otherwise, it's like they're grounding me. And if they have any silver at all in their compound, then that's impossible to do, no matter how much magic I use to do so. This concept is the same as my clothes disappearing and reforming with me. If you consider it, then shadowing would be easier without the worry of clothes."

"If that's your way of asking for permission not to where clothes when thieving, then the answers no," Kosuke says jokingly.

"Haha! Not what I was going for, but hey, I guess I tried." I can't help but grin. Count on Kosuke to successfully lighten the atmosphere with a dumb joke. I try not to use magic when thieving anyway and we both know it.

He sighs and I slump forward onto the table, which, unfortunately, reminds me of food. My stomach follows my brain's path and growls loudly, sounding pathetic. I grumble back at it and rub my face into the cold, brown wood before me, smashing my nose against it. _What I wouldn't do for even a carrot!_ I think desperately. A sudden tap on my shoulder has me sitting up and regarding Kosuke and what he's fumbling for. Out of a thin black backpack comes a neat, square bento box, unusual due to a built in lock keeping it sealed and protected.

"Emiko wouldn't let me leave home without it," he says and chuckles some. "I figure you might want this?" An appreciative sob actually tears out of my throat. I'm snatching the little bento before he can blink.

"Hey!" he complains.

"Freakin' thing won't open!" I complain as I immediately try to force the unyielding lid and bottom apart with my fingertips.

"The great thief needs the key?" He almost can't believe it.

I stop my fruitless struggles and stretch out an open palm towards Kosuke, wanting the damn thing. "Shut up and give it to me," I demand with a flat expression.

**-.-**

Satoshi's POV 

I find myself waiting by the part of the pool the declines into the water gradually. It's been too long since I've heard from Triton. And I haven't heard anyone march by on the outside, either. It makes me apprehensive. Triton has to be up to something. What type of game has he decided to play with all of us?

**'He loves to sit back and watch everyones' reactions. He is the type that likes to know what exactly makes another tick, but he is messed with the wrong group this time.' **

'Do you know something, Krad?'

** 'At this point it is all guess work. Let's just say I am familiar with his type. Tell me, why do you think he does not have an actual guard in this room with us, ****but merely cameras? How do you think the Niwas got in here so efficiently? I admit, whereas they have great skills, they do not have near enough to take on this organization without trouble. We are all being tested, even now. And I suspect we will be subjected to a roller coaster of events before **_**Triton **_**is satisfied with us.'**

'Unfortunately for him, I never learned how to let someone have their way.'

** 'True, you never did. Care to show him your stubborn side?' **I can feel Krad grinning with a grace of superiority.

Small ripples pulse throughout the pool. Is the water reflecting my escalating emotions? I don't think that I can work with Krad, even if this is his way of offering a temporary truce. My gaze shifts restlessly through the water, then towards the door as if looking for something.

**'You can't escape on your own. Like it or not, I am getting out of this sickening building. I would much rather not have to fight with you and them at the same time. You and I will continue our squabble when this is over. Then, there are things to settle with Dark. ... Work with me, you are a Hikari, you can push me back if need be, right?' **Krad challenges and mocks. I squeeze my eyes shut as anger burns.

'I don't trust your agenda, Krad. I'm not about to let you have any sort of control over me. Nothing will change you – you'll always be a monster, and I'm afraid no monster will have me so easily.' Krad laughs. He knows as well as I do, once my legs comes back, it's going to be a fight for control. Which one of us will win?

** 'You know,' **he says in a slightly joyful tone, **'if you let me out, you will not have to worry about the no clothes issue. Remember, my outfit spawns with me.' **I can picture him smiling.My jaw goes slack. I quickly close my mouth and shut my eyes.

'You must be out of your mind if you think that is reason enough for me to hand my body over to you.'

** 'It is more than enough reason for you. You know as well as I do that once your regular form is back and Triton returns what matter will ensue if you are left without modesty.' **

My eyes snap open at this. I hadn't wanted to face this fact and squeeze my eyes shut again, tight, as I try to block potential images out of my mind.

'I'm still not giving you control, Krad!'

But, the _angel _inside me doesn't seem worried about my declaration.

**'No one else can have you, Satoshi,' **he says, and it's as if he's right beside me instead of where he is suppose to be. I can't suppress the shudder that ripples through me.

**-.-**

Dark's POV

"I feel so much better now!" I stretch happily with the empty bento box held high in one hand.

"Okay, Dark," Kosuke says in all seriousness, "I'm at a total loss of how to get you out of here." We'd been discussing any ideas of getting the nanos out of me (well, him talking, I had been busy) with no luck on what to do. But, a little plan had came to me while I'd been eating. My confidence in it builds as I slam the bento box on the table, making Kosuke jump a fraction out of his seat.

"I know what I'm going to do," I say, looking to the ceiling and thinking a bit more before I look down to see him staring at me with a mixture of curiosity and fear. "You escape. I'm going to let Triton have me. With any luck, I'll beat a way of curing myself of these nasty micro machines out of him." There's a stretch of silence and a blank stare aimed my way.

"That's not going to work," he finally says. "You know Triton won't let you have any opportunity to lay a hand on him."

"Oh?" I wink and this seems to baffle Kosuke. "He'll give me more than enough opportunity." Kosuke gives such a confused expression, but I won't enlighten him of my plan. Putting the bento back together, I give it back to him and turn to leave the hide away this room has become.

"Wait!" He stands up fast from his chair. "What are you going to do?" I face back toward him with my arms out to either sides of me.

"I'm going to settle this of course!" Smiling, I twist back for the door to the hall, quickening my pace.

"Wait! Wait a minute!"

But I don't. The door swings closed behind me. Kosuke doesn't give up; he runs out and his footsteps echo with mine. Where we're running to I'm not really sure. It's just time to get something going. "I'm not leaving you!" Kosuke shouts.

"Go away! I've got this!"

"No! There is no way you're back up to par!"

"I'm well enough!"

"No! You-" I don't give him time to finish his sentence. Spinning a 180, I ball my fist and connect into Kosuke's right cheek, sending him to the floor in total surprise and shock.

"Leave! There's nothing more you can do for me, however, you can help Emiko and the girls out." This gives him pause as he sits on the floor, a hand to his bruised cheek. Anger is in his dark eyes. Feeling slightly guilty, I hurry away, hoping that if Kosuke does decide to follow me now, that I'll lose him before he can catch up to me.

Sprinting on, anyone can tell that I'm definitely not 100%, heck I'm a far cry from 80%. I take a few turns and go down another hall, without a doubt losing Kosuke even before he could try to follow.

"_That's right. Let me have you._"

I skid to an abrupt stop. My eyes swivel left and right, but there is nothing in the hall with me – no owner to that voice, though I know who it belongs to.

"Triton! Where are you?" I yell.

"_I'm everywhere._" Indeed, his voice sounds like it's all around me, but it doesn't have that speaker quality to it at all.

"What, did you invent a stealth suit and go invisible?" I reply sarcastically while sweeping a full circle in the middle of the large hallway. There is nothing around me at all, no where to hide, just plain white walls and tiled floor. But I'd wanted to be sure.

"_Yeah, let's go with that theory, if it makes you feel better,_" he laughs.

"You're really grating on my nerves," I grind my teeth and keep an eye on both ends of the hall. He has to be somewhere! Without warning, a streak of pain shoots down my left arm and shoulder blade. My breath hitches as I grab the limb with my right hand, wincing with an eye shut. It really hurts!

"_Haha! Did that hurt?_" Triton sounds delighted. "_Do you know where I am now?_" he almost purrs. I freeze, standing absolutely still. My irises shrink down to only a pin-sized dot and I glance down at my troubled arm. My left hand begins twitching. "_What's the matter? Do you need another hint?_" he asks. Lightning arches, playing across my spine. I shake, refusing to give in to this before it is over. In less than a few seconds, it is.

"Y-you're ...inside?" I bring my hands close to my face and glance to my bare chest in horror.

"_In a figurative way, I am, but literally, no. Isn't that a shame?_" I pull myself together enough to growl. "_I'm controlling the nanomachines. Aren't they neat little things? I'll play with them from time to time, so you'll learn more about their abilities and what they can do to you as you go on. In the meantime, we get to have so much fun together! Have a blast getting used to the place. You and your other half will be here for a long, long time!" _

I have no idea when it is that a hole gets put through the concrete wall, but when my focus finally stops being solely on Triton, I notice the white wall being in front of me instead of behind me and my hand currently pushed through it glows with a bright purple. I yank my hand back, wondering if I've managed to break all of my fingers in my rage.

**-.-**

Satoshi's POV 

Somehow or another at some unknown point, comfort comes enough for sleep. My strung out spirit really needs it. I stay by the water's edge, half way in, half way out, soothed as I let myself drift in semi-peace. That is, until I feel a hand lightly petting down my hip and into the wetness of the water. My brows furrow as I mumble something, trying to wake up enough to defend myself. Krad is going ballistic already, but there isn't much he can do with me still being in this... form. Fingernails scrape and play with one of my fins. I finally find strength enough to lift onto my elbows and pry my eyes open. Nothing is in front of me. I twist and look over my shoulder and find Triton sitting behind me, staring at me with a gloating expression. Something is in his hand and the next second I'm fully awake as I'm jabbed with a needle under the fin that he'd been playing with.

I control the part of me that wants to lash out and instead give a light hiss as I ask, "What are you doing?" He chuckles as only he can at my peeved tone.

"Just drawing some blood from you," he hums.

"To do what with?" I persist, after he doesn't elaborate further.

"Oh, a bit of this and that." He remains vague as he pulls the needle from me. He really didn't take much of my blood. What could he be wanting to do with it? Shouldn't he need more to run any sort of thorough test? I watch him cover the needle and put it into a small metal case. He snaps it shut, then looks over at me. I don't like the look in his eyes. The spark that is Krad ignites. He's almost desperate to fight Triton. A scene of Triton laying beaten and completely still face-down in the pool keeps flashing in my mind's eye. I shake my head to get rid of it, and that's when it happens.

I'm grabbed by my right shoulder and forced to the concrete, my tail fin sprays us with water as I'm jerked by the surprising movement. I open my eyes wide, showing how off guard I am. Triton's face comes an inch from my own as he brings both of his arms to either of my sides, trapping me. All I can see is him and his denim jacket covered shoulders. A wave of disgust runs through me, and I choke back words of retaliation. That would only heighten his sense of pleasure, and make his advances harder to deal with, if that is indeed what I'm dealing with.

"You're such an interesting creature. Did you know your father is happy? He was talking about how he gambled right by taking you on as his son. You hold a key for him, you know? What am I saying, of course you don't know that yet." Triton throws his head back and laughs. I could care less what my father thinks at the moment, at least Triton is out of my face. All too soon, he lowers back to me.

"I'm going to take a few minutes and study you," he says devilishly. "If what I know is true, then you don't have much longer like this." He gestures toward my lower half and puts his hand low on my front, below touching but very near where something should be. Inside I almost die inside, but I keep my face as emotionless as possible. He won't get his sick kicks with me, and I won't let him have me, either. Staring coldly up at him, he twists his face into a smile and slowly brings his hand upwards. My muscles cringe.

"There's nothing on the outside of you, so I wonder what happened to it. What happens if I try stimu-" His hand closes in to a sensitive area and I ram my forehead hard into his. Stars spin behind my eyelids, but I yank my arm into the air, unintentionally aiming the sharp part of my wrist's fin into his collarbone. The strike misses, however, and this time, my arms get pinned above my head by one of his hands. Triton straddles below my hips.

"That barely hurt, and judging from how dazed you look, I have to say that you came out worse thanks to that little stunt," he smirks. I glance through the slits of my eyelids with gritted teeth. He takes his free hand and pushes down into my stomach hard and fast, forcing the air out of me and making me sick. I cough and twist, almost at the end of my rope with dealing with him. Water splashes as I thrash. "Stop it!" he commands and pushes down even harder. I freeze, imagining my insides tearing beneath the skin under his knuckles. He lets up and I pant, heavily aware of the bruising taking place in the area around my navel. It is throbbing so badly. A hand gets placed low on my front again and I stare back up at him hatefully.

"You won't be trying that again, will you?" he asks, with a broad smile. His hand moves up and I close my eyes shut so tight that I see colors swirl. His hand makes a pass clear up to my stomach. Mortified by the whine that slips from my lips, I squeeze my eyes shut even tighter, fighting against the water gathering behind them. Suddenly, I'm blinded by golden light, surrounded by its fury.

**'Master Satoshi, get behind me.' **I look into the empty space of nothingness that has me, and see Krad standing proudly, his golden eyes alight with malice, not aimed at me, but toward Triton beyond us.

"You won't have me either!" I nearly snarl at the angel. He looks to me and suddenly he's beside me.

**'See things my way, for once.' **

I cringe as even in this abyss, Triton's hand can touch me. A finger plays around the blue and white skin of my front, finding an almost invisible opening there, instead of the regular male bits. A few fingers brush over it a few times, all the while I shudder in the abyss and draw my arms around my frame. _Stop it! Stop it! _I plead inside my head, feeling something stir. My inner cries seem to ring across the nothingness. Krad lays a hand on my shoulder, and I can feel him drawing me backwards, then he's in front of me. Outside, a single finger hesitates, readying to pry into me.

I am nothing but a child. With a cry and a turn of my back, I let Krad takes this from me. An explosion of gold over comes me and I know no more.

**-****)*(****-**


	39. Chapter 39

**A/N:**** Being this late is not what I meant by having this story completed soon. Everyone has my many apologies. I ****_am_ coming back to focus on this, but I may not have as much time as I would like. (See profile for details.) Also, I would like to say that I'm not going to be making any more perverted bad guys, at least for a while, if not ever. If you think Triton gets bad here, just wait until you see the "next phase" in the next chapter. Alright, I don't want to bore anybody. Heaven knows you have all been waiting long enough for this! Thanks guys, for sticking with me!**

**-****)*(****-**

Krad's POV 

Triton will die for this. How dare he make Satoshi run? Does he know what exactly I am and what it is that I am trying to do to the boy? How dare he attempt to overrule me by breaking him first! No one has that right, and he will kneel dead for his interference!

Power and fury instantly shove me into control, but Satoshi's Hikari-cursed form nearly stops me cold. It is like hitting a brick wall. I force stiffened muscles to buck anyway, using as much energy as I can to unhinge Triton from on top of me. He shifts, but does little more than that. Seems I do not have much strength. Not surprising considering the leading events.

Satoshi's form tightens in on itself, almost squeezing me to the point of suffocation. It feels as if I am going to be forced out rather than back in. I open my eyes and attempt to suppress my sporadic magic in order to keep the Hikari's own from rising up and reacting so harshly. I do not expect to see my bright gold bleeding out around me. This is not working so well; I will not be able to sustain myself for too long at this rate. I throw my gaze upward, taking in the sight of Triton pinning me. Our gazes lock, giving me a glimpse of his excitement. Also his fear, even though he is trying to hide that.

"Was wondering how long it would be before you came out." He smiles and I try to ignore the sweat running down my temples. My eyes flash bright, echoing the draining heat building in my veins. There really is not much time for me to save us. If only Satoshi could change back to normal I would not have nearly so much trouble.

"You have lured me out. Are you going to proceed?" My desire to kill permeates the air in thick waves. Even in my condition, he would be a fool to touch now. Human as he is, he can still feel my unspoken threat. Gray eyes waver, but a smile slowly stretches across his face.

Truly a fool.

"I have experimenting to do and I came prepared. Say, or do what you want, but you won't escape." He sounds so sure. A fatal human error on his part.

"Escaping is not the priority now." Slight tremors ripple through me. This is it. If I waste time trying to tone down my power anymore I will just deteriorate and be unable to do anything to defend. Time to do something, while I still can, before Satoshi's body thoroughly rejects me.

As if suddenly sensing my decision, Triton's hands dig into my shoulders. His knees come up to pin my hands to the concrete. My knuckles roll and crunch underneath him, making me grimace. His heavy weight then presses my waist. For a terrible second I cannot breathe.

No mere human – especially such a disgusting one – will overcome me. It is just not possible, and yet fear blocks some of the churning desire for vengeance. More than anything, this hampering fear causes hate to swell inside my heart. The faster beats feel like a hammer against my ribs. And then, surprise has every emotion crashing to a halt. The weight on top of me shifts, then disgusting warmth presses to my lips. My eyes widen in shock and my brain refuses to except this. Triton is... doing WHAT to me? His ponytail slides from his bent back, down to the crevice of my neck with a swish.

Anger rumbles from my throat. I have been completely blindsided by this mockery pinning me down. Something wet and slick moves over my tightly clamped lips. It can only be a tongue. Blood rushes to my face, then abruptly drains away. A screech wells up and I struggle, trying to dislodge this _thing_ fromoff of me. Fingers press into the joints of my shoulders, clamping with strength. It hurts, but if he thinks he can control me with a bit of pain then he is very much mistaken.

I struggle harder, arching, nearly yanking my hands out from underneath him, scraping and peeling skin from them, and turn my head to the side to rid myself of his intimate contact. He laughs once I am successful. Rage floods my system.

"So, you're running away from me? You admit defeat?" His cheeks look flushed. Does he get some sort of rush from doing this? How stomach turning can you become?

A maddened cry rises from me and I lift to clash into his skull. I am much too slow. Before I get far, he grabs my hair, and grips hard, slamming the back of my head down to the unforgiving concrete. Stars blossom behind my eyes. Pain explodes in powerful waves. I cannot hear past a deafening ringing, I cannot see except for a string of bright flashes. It takes me a second to realize I am holding my breath against the shock.

I suck in a gulp of air and that is when Triton takes my mouth again. He uses the disorientation from the hit to his advantage and invades, plunging in deep. I gag. Never have I felt so... _sick_.

He moans and it is if he is drinking and cannot get enough. A cold shiver runs my spine. I go to bite, but a sharp object cuts into the top of my shoulder. It must be made of silver; my already struggling magic runs dry at the burning touch. I gasp and go limp, suddenly as drained as any ancient and long dead mummy. He continues to plunder, and I give a rough growl of protest. Finally, he lifts from me. Immediately, I spit at him, sending every effort I have into weaving magic around his throat. It does no good. He wipes the spittle from his cheek and chin, not even bothering to comment about it, but rather just look at me with a small shake of his head.

_HOW DARE HE MOCK ME?_

"You must be out of options. Are you ready to surrender?"

"You are a fool!" I hiss.

"No. You are the fool. It would have been in your favor to have surrendered once you were first captured."

I narrow my eyes at him. Sadly, it is all I can do.

"You know what I think?" he asks slyly, leaning towards me. "I think you enjoy being held down and played with. You enjoy all the special attention." He leans farther, his cheek going past mine. He nips my ear.

I laugh. I cannot help it, he is just too absurd. A resounding smack stops my fit of laughter, and my head is forced to the side. I look at him from the corner of my eye. One side of my mouth lifts, but instead of anger in his expression, I see the same smirk echoed on his face.

"How did that feel?" he asks. "Did you like it?"

"Do it again and find out." My words are a soft, daring challenge.

"No. I think I'll just touch you instead."

His hand slips from my uninjured shoulder, to my navel and finally, further down. It is like a button being pressed. Anger floods my system again, and my magic flares, even with the silver still stuck in me. Unfortunately, that brings Satoshi's magic clashing against me. It pulls, trying to whittle what little I have down. And that is when I realize – Fate is not with me in this fight. … I am not meant to win this...

_ To hell if I am going to lose, then!_

"What's the matter? Your expression says you're stumped. Something got you confused?"

"No, things are very clear to me. I just did not think things would end this way." I amp the chaotic magic, deliberately continuing to invoke the Hikari's and centering what I can around my own heart.

"Wait, what are you planning to do?"

Now he is the confused one. Whereas humans can sometimes sense the supernatural, they cannot understand it. He can tell I am doing something, but cannot feel what it is. If only he knew, he would probably be jumping off about now.

I relax as best as I can; magic is easier to manipulate this way. He notices and his expression goes into one of concern. Letting my eyes slip closed, I concentrate on the separate pulse of power tangling around the pulse of my heart and build it. He removes his offending hand, instead running fingers across my abs. The sensation invokes a slight muscle spasm and an irritated lift of my front lip. His amusement washes over me.

"Isn't it alright to take what you want as long as you get satisfaction out of it?" he says, more like a statement than an actual question. I ignore it. He chuckles. "I don't know what it is you are doing, but I plan on breaking that concentration of yours."

His weight shifts, putting pressure directly on my front. Blood rushes through me. The feeling is uncomfortable. I growl. The combined effort of trying to stay in enough control to function Satoshi's body, while manipulating my magic against the boy's is enough to make me sweat without the added interference Triton pleasures in.

He lifts and runs a hand along what used to be thighs. I jump as a bolt of... something spikes upwards. I open a gold eye at him, having now lost a good bit of the magic surrounding my heart. This is not like me. I am better capable than this, but... my stomach squeezes hard. Am I going to be sick?

"Hm... there's a slight swelling here," he notes happily, and runs his hand along again. This time, I flinch at the bolt that shoots through me. It feels... so ..._wrong_! My cheeks darken even as I glare at him. He just smiles and leans in. His weight shifts to my stomach and I gag. He laughs. Something snaps.

Enough.

Gold bleeds, unrestrained as my lower half twists its flesh, reverting back into legs. Pain blurs, meaning nothing when compared to the storming need to kill. Triton has just enough time to jump backwards as everything that is me comes back – my hair flows, my wings stretch, my form grows, and I am covered by my clothes. But even before the fins on my wrists fully disappear, I launch for him, going for his throat. He narrowly avoids my hands, but the sharp outer edges of the fins leave a thin trail of blood on the side of his neck. He hisses, but instead of stepping back like most would, he steps forward.

I spin, going low for a sweep. He predicts this. I hate to admit my physical skills are sorely lacking, but it is obvious. I am better with the magical arts, Mousy is better at actual combat. He leaps to my exposed back. I nearly go down by his weight alone. Somehow, I manage to keep my balance and rise, but only just. He grabs a wing by its base and pulls. No matter how strong, wings are very delicate where they are attached. A scream bursts from me. Spinning, I try to throw him off. He wraps his legs around me and holds on tight. Without any warning, Triton yanks whatever silver thing he had used out of my shoulder. Barely grunting at the small sting, I turn, having again to be careful with my balance and his added weight. But it is for not – one of my white boots plunge into the pool.

Small startled sounds come from both of us before the water rushes closed above. I extend my wings, hoping to use them to rocket upward, but the one Triton pulled does not respond correctly, and it burns. Kicking with my legs would be completely useless with how much we weigh together; I'd only use up oxygen that I don't have. My lungs already feel shrunk and empty, but perhaps I can hold out longer than Triton can.

Movement on my back, as well as the current of the water, warns me. From the corner of my water-blurred vision, I see a bright, thin dagger coming at my side. I reach out to stop it, the movement slow. Another hand sneaks around to grab my throat. I use my good wing to knock the poor attempt away. Before I can snatch the dagger, Triton pulls it back. He moves, adjusting to get a better position for another strike. All the while, we are steadily sinking.

Mercifully, Triton suddenly lets go and races for the surface. I race right after him. We nearly break the surface simultaneously, but he retches as opposed to my just breathing heavy. It echoes noisily across the water as he grabs for the edge of the pool. He must have taken in some of the surrounding salty liquid.

Recovering quicker than him, I summon more than just energy into a fist and move for him. He doesn't have a chance to properly react as I plunge deep into his side. He chokes and his eyes bulge. Ribs snap and allow my fist to sink deeper. I grin savagely. But for a human, he recovers from this strangely fast. A punch comes before I can even see it, just about tearing my bottom jaw off, sending me twisting in the other direction. My lip splits and I can taste blood strongly. It only serves to give me a fiery boost.

Turning back to him, I just do see the silver dagger coming for my chest. He is going for a killing blow, no longer willing to chance events with me. Blood dribbles from his mouth and his face reveals a desperate edge, especially in his frantic eyes.

He should have never toyed with me.

Again, I stop the dagger, but this time I catch it wrong. The sharpened double edges cut into my palm and fingers, dripping dark red blood into the surrounding water. He yanks it back, nearly slicing my hand in two, and tries again, fiercely determined. He is scared for his life. I can taste his fear.

I move to stop the weapon with my other hand, ignoring my crippled other, but he feints, surprising me. I had not thought him capable of tact in his panic. In the water, I cannot move so well, especially with my wings dragging at me. The dagger comes one last time. I know I have only one option left. I channel scalding magic into my reaching arm and go for Triton's face. But, there is just no way I will be quick enough. I am proved correct as pain lances deep in my left side.

It seems to bore, not cut itself through. The magic in my hand sputters and dies as I am forced backward by the strength of the blow. Pain is a blistering tide that fills me, sending the shock all throughout my body. My gut twists in on itself, cramping severely against the assault of the weapon, trying feebly to force it back out. I holler a strangled note as my back crashes into the concrete behind me. I hook my elbows over the top of it to remain above the water, panting, bleeding out heavier than I ever have. At this rate I will not even be able to make it out of the pool.

The water moves. Triton comes closer.

"Sorry to have to do that, but my life ultimately means more to me than yours does." He laughs as my hold slips some.

"So, you were forced to kill me, huh?" I smile against the situation, against the agony in my side. This is better than what was happening before with him. My wings crumple into the water; the strength for them is the first to go. I cringe as the movement disturbs the buried dagger in my side. My side spasms and I go into a chain of coughs, each one sounding thicker, until red surges up. I twist around to better hold the pool's edge, not wanting to slide underwater just yet.

"You may have forced me to take an action that I didn't want to take against you, but winning the fight meant you losing the war. Although, technically, I won the fight." He attempts to sound derisive, but clearly he is furious. He hadn't wanted to lose me. He moves up close beside me.

"Half of me still lives. Be assured that you have not won anything here." My voice is getting small and weak, barely anything like me. If only the dagger was not silver I might be able to give one last blast of magic. Gray lines my vision threateningly. I fight for just a few more minutes. But it would be sweet to let go and slip under now and end the horrible, wrenching pain.

"You are talking about Dark? He is in my control more than you know."

A hand glides the water, reaches for the dagger, and takes it. Pain turns me inside-out. I hug the pool's edge harder. The pain is indescribable. I cry out and gasp, my vision trailing blank. Already it feels like I am under the water; sinking, suffocating.

And then I cannot hold on anymore. The sensation is almost welcome. But, my wrist gets grabbed.

_Let it end_, I plead to any entity that may hear me.

**-.-**

Dark's POV 

Holding my throbbing hand against my chest, I continue on down the deserted halls, feeling like a trapped mouse in a maze. And, yeah, I'm well aware of all the irony in that last sentence.

What could Triton want to find out about us in doing this? Is he just wanting to play games? I feel like I'm missing a puzzle piece to the larger scheme here.

Suddenly, the florescent lights above blink off and the plain surroundings are plunged into darkness. Not bothering to pause at the lack of light (it doesn't really affect me, so why should I?), I turn left down another corridor. It looks exactly the same as the first... and second, and third hallway... I breathe a frustrated breath but otherwise keep my temper in check. The pain from my hand is still fresh enough to make me deeply consider my actions.

A subtle change in pressure happens. The darkness shifts a ways ahead on the right. One of the many doors is sliding open. I prepare myself for anything, feeling my heart twist as I take measured steps. I approach it carefully, coming against the wall on the same side, although I'm aware that whatever I do is already spoiled by the nanos inside me.

Not daring to reveal myself directly in front of the door, I wait, gathering as many clues about what's in the room as possible. Coldness leaks from it, causing goosebumps to cover my arms and bare chest. I sniff the air once and listen. There is no scent or sound – no indication that a living being is beyond the yawning space beside me.

And that only makes a bad premonition crawl over me. I truly wish I'd never seen a horror movie in my life, because now every horrible gore scene from every single one of them is flashing before my eyes.

Something shoots straight out of the room. It's at face level. I jump, throwing myself backwards more than a few feet. Whatever the thing is, it swishes in the air back and forth oddly. It's trying to get my attention. I observe it for any hostile movement... then realize it is nothing more than some small, soft ball with a few feathers stuck to it; some kind of cat toy.

"The hell?" I voice angrily.

"_You have excellent night vision. Better so than any animal on record, besides fish of the deep, deep ocean._"

"TRITON!"

Feeling like such a fool, I step to and grab the toy, yanking and breaking it from its flimsy rod. Something clicks, and something else mechanical whines from within the room. I quickly pass the open room and hurry on. But two glowing red eyes from within make my own widen. Turning quickly back around to defend and halfway expecting a cyborg or robot of some kind to roll out, I nearly jump out of my skin. A flat, monstrous, metal face springs sideways out at me. The metal rod from which it is attached to slams loudly into the brick doorway, stopping its own propulsion. My teeth almost fall out from gritting in fright so hard.

_It's almost like a jack-in-the-box_, I note dully as I fall backwards on my butt.

Triton's laugh haunts me.

The only thing that helps my severely injured pride is the catch in the laughter as it quickly stops.

_Wonder what has him hurting..._

I stand, dusting myself off, and cringe as my hurt hand makes itself known again. It is the only thing that stops me from punching that metallic mask. The thing still shudders on its rod from its hit against brick. Snorting, I kick it instead, bending it across the other side of the doorway. Another click, then another mechanical whine starts up. Gasping, I zip a 180 and finish running down the hall, quickly turning down another that is, surprisingly, the same.

"Well, what do you know," I mutter.

**'Dark, ...I need-'** The voice isn't Daisuke's, and it is so unexpected that I stop and actually focus on it and answer it before I can stop myself.

**'Krad!'**

Seeming to not need any prompting from me, my magic and senses automatically tune into the white feathered maniac, making my eyes glow like headlights in the absolute darkness. "Wha?" I jolt from the feeling of it, blinking and shaking my head. It's a bit of a rush pouring through my skull.

"I wonder why the nanos aren't draining this power. Would suck to have this happen during one of my thieving escapades."

I look over my shoulder, thinking I sense Krad laying near the hall I just scrambled from.

_Please, no...!_

I don't want to face whatever that second mechanical thing is. I'm not comfortable with objects that jump at you. But, thankfully, his signature comes more strongly from in front of me. Racing forward, the tiles are a blur under me. It's like I'm being propelled. I wouldn't normally do this for Krad.

_Daisuke, I blame you for caring too much for Creepy Boy!_

I'm too beat to keep the pace up for long, but I'm sliding to a stop soon, anyway. My breath puffs out as I study one door that's slightly open. Krad's behind it... and not moving. How I'm so sure about that small detail, I'm not sure. If it isn't in Triton's plan for me to be here, then something should happen very soon. Cautious and strung on edge, I move for the door, seeing light green patterns of light beyond it. It reminds me of light reflecting off water. I stop, thinking. Having a pool around would make sense if they were expecting the metamorphosis Satoshi went through.

Oh, hell! Is Krad a mermaid? I refuse to carry him and smell like fish. And I won't drag him, either. Not unless Daisuke wakes up and gives me the third degree about it first.

The door creaks ominously as I push it slowly open just enough to fit through, but I pause. What if the door shuts and locks behind me? But the sight of Krad laying with his two _legs_ crooked into the water, unconscious, with his head turned towards me practically teleports me to his side. If I bother to question why I'm acting like this I'll probably go crazy, so I put it in the back of my mind for later and, instead, work to avoid his sprawled wings as I take to my knees.

"Krad! Krad, wake up! Or better yet, Satoshi! Satoshi, wake up!" I lightly pat a cheek, trying to ignore the enormous bloodstain pooled underneath his lower back. There is no response. His eyelids don't even flutter in the ashen-gray of his face.

"You better not be dead, Krad, because I'll kill you a second time if you try to drag me into the afterlife again!" I put a hand before his nose and mouth and feel a slight current of air. He is breathing, at least.

I take in the sight of his bare torso, surprised when I notice his trademark white pants and... embroidery skirt?... So... he appeared with his regular clothes on, and that means Triton must have taken his fancy shirt and shoulder cape. Someone is going to be pissed when they wake up...

A red mark on his left side stops my musings. It looks like a fresh scar, but the surrounding skin looks to have suffered from recent trauma. It's very peculiar. And, even as I watch, the scar lightens in ever pinker strips. I tilt my head at it.

"I wasn't aware we healed that abnormally fast..."

It happens instantly. My vision shrinks and everything within my visual range becomes tiny, like I'm looking through a microscopic television screen. My weight is suddenly too much to hold up. I fall against Krad, my eyes rolling back. I protest the cushion he's become, and fight to move. But it's as if my body is a statue and I'm hammering from inside a useless shell. Then, a mental switch is cut off, and I'm thrown into a dreamless, deep sleep.

**-.-**

Triton grinned cockily as he finished typing in the command for the nanos inside Dark. There really was no end for their usefulness. This particular model of them had to be his best creation. They had already given him so much information on the part of his pet's brain that relayed telepathy. It was only a matter of time before he would be able to listen in on the internal conversations. But he was just becoming aware of them. He still needed a little time. And it was a little disappointing, but he still couldn't answer his first burning question about the supernatural creature – was he a split personality, or was he something immortal? Was Dark a creation of the little Niwa? Or was he something that was passed along like a disease?

This whole project was turning out to be like his first Rubik's Cube – unbearably challenging, but too fun to ever discard. Triton pressed a hand against his sore ribs. They were mostly better, thanks to the nanos inside himself.

Yes, they were really a life saver. Three in one day.

With a quick call to his men, he began to prepare the angels for the next phase. Now if he could just locate that elusive Kosuke Niwa. That guy couldn't be human with how he was able to virtually disappear within the building, past all kinds of sensors, night vision and infrared cameras. Maybe it would be worth it to capture and experiment on him too.

**-****)*(****-**

**A/N:**** I was recently asked what music I listen to when I write. I'm sure most of you know who my favorite two bands are, but I've gotten into Avenged Sevenfold and Slipknot, too. Critically Acclaimed, Scream, Afterlife, and Sulfur are my favorites to listen to from them. And then people have to know how I can inject so much humor into my stories while I listen to so much heavy rock and metal. **

**It's because I can find the humor in almost anything. Now this talent can be a double-edged sword. For instance, when someone else stubs their big toe and I bust out laughing. My only saving grace is running away faster than they can hobble after me with a raised fist. It isn't too challenging. Just make sure you don't turn around to make faces at them and run into a wall...**

**And I didn't forget about the DA drawings I promised. 'The Picture Emiko Took' won by a landslide. And the runner-ups are 'Satoshi V.S. The Evil Dictionary', and 'Dream of a Memory'. I'll get to working on these hopefully soon. Got a lot going on. To check on me or my stories statuses, be sure to keep an eye on my profile. **

**And guys, I have the story planned out, but I would love to hear how you would... incapacitate Triton.**

**Dark: "That means kill him!"**

**Daisuke: "Wait a minute!"**

**Dark: "Don't you dare stop them, Daisuke!"**

**Fireflower: "Hey, hey! Enough! Jeez! Let the nice reviewers decide what they might do."**

**Dark & Daisuke: "But!"**

**Fireflower: *Shove**

**Later!**


	40. Chapter 40

**A/N:**** It's Halloween! Cool! And not so cool... This chapter should have been out long before now. Sorry! Sorry! My promise still stands that I WILL complete this one day. It's simply taking me forever, that's all. Blame Triton. I'm serious! I didn't make this fan fiction to be perverted. I just wished for the ultimate bad guy and I could think of nothing worse than him. Never take lightly the old saying: Be careful what you wish for. I ADORE you guys for thinking of ways to get rid of that jackass. **

**Happy Halloween, everyone! Thank you all who read this now. And please note that one day this story will be re-edited from top to bottom to be professionally presentable. The fans of this story are the ones that keep me from pulling it until I can get to all the repairing that needs to be done. May this chapter show that my skills have advanced, and may it also earn a few peeps from you readers! **

**-****)*(****-**

Dark's POV

Waking is a very abrupt thing. However, the plaguing aches, still-present fatigue, and stiffness from not having moved for a long, indeterminable time keep me still. I eventually shift, taking a deep breath and groaning at the blaring lights that spear past my closed eyelids. It drives needles into my brain, and I quickly throw my head back to the side to stop the sensation. Shivering, I follow the movement with the rest of my too-heavy form, slowly curling up into a ball. The hard floor is cold down the entire length of my body, but something warm is beside me. Instinctively I reach for it, recoiling when I touch against something as ice cold as the floor. My wits must not have woken up with me if I wasn't thinking before acting. Who knew what that was beside me under these circumstances? Circumstances that could get me killed; circumstances that still involved Triton. Heck, where was I, anyway?

Instantly I go on the alert, snapping open my eyes to see what is so close. I gasp, but make no noise.

Krad is sprawled beside me. And there is a lot of peach on display. I cringe and scoot away, noting the metal underwear-looking device locked around him; a chastity belt. I note my own when clanks resonate from where my hip repeatedly touches the floor.

"What in the name of...! What the hell is this?!" I yell. Indignity drives away fatigue, and I barely feel any soreness as I sit up; the action uncomfortable due to the belt. Its inner confines are very restricting. "Is this some sort of torture?! Or maybe revenge for not getting what you wanted, you WHORE!" It sounds like an army of angry clones are adding to my shout as the empty hall echoes the last word. No doubt Triton knows I'm awake, and the bastard is probably laughing his putrid guts out.

Furious, my face red from the knowledge my most private parts have been seen, I turn to once again look at Krad. He stirs, growling and groaning. His face still has a bit of a gray tinge to it, but his absent wings are what give away just how depleted his energy is. My eyes are drawn to the metal protruding from between his legs and I shudder. _That_ must have been the ice cold something I'd touched.

"We don't even have any clothes on. No wonder it's so damn cold," I mutter, turning and scooting my back up against the wall, hearing metal drag. _At least my butt's covered_, I think bitterly as more cold seeps into my back from the wall. I try to ignore it and the indecent bite of cold between my closed thighs. One good thing is my busted hand isn't very sore anymore. It must have healed most of the way.

Krad takes in a long, shuddering breath and my attention diverts back over to him. Drained or not, I'm not putting my guard down around him. He'd more than likely prefer to kill me than call a temporary truce, whether that puts us in a worse predicament or not.

"I am alive," he says weakly, with some surprise. He then opens his eyes, the harsh lighting having no affect against them. There is no joy whatsoever in his expression.

"You're also virtually naked." I watch as it takes a few seconds for his mind to breakdown the comment. The exact moment the words sink in is obvious. His breath whooshes out as he flings himself to sit with his side pressed to the wall. His mouth is all fangs as he glares at me and growls. It's a dangerous sound.

I burst out laughing. Which is unwise but I can't help it. His gaze seems to burn a hole into my head; I can feel the waves of hate focused solely on me. The hair on the back of my neck stands on end in silent warning.

"Easy. You know I didn't do it."

Still, laughing at it will put me in the same category as the one who did.

I wipe away a small tear from my eye and look back at him. He is still pressed against the wall, his eyes glowing. It looks like he's trying to summon magic, but can't manipulate any. Must be my lucky day. Triton had to have hampered him with silver also. How much you wanna bet he has the same nanos injected in him that I do?

"What the _hell_ are you doing here?" Krad barks, seeming to come to terms that his magic isn't going to fire off and kill me.

"I think the appropriate question is, what are _we_ doing here?"

There is no click or frequency changes of a speaker cutting on, but suddenly Triton speaks, "_I warn you, as you should already know, nothing here is appropriate. Now that you're both awake, I'd be more than happy to fill you in on how to play and possibly win my little game here._" His disgustingly playful and teasing tones sound close, but there is no physical sense of him being nearby.

Krad hauls himself up from the floor, carefully leaning on the wall. His scowl is furious. I suddenly don't want to be anywhere near him. More than the usual amount. Dulled bronze eyes have a murderous gleam as he glances up and down the plain hall. It is exactly like all the other halls I'd been running earlier. (Oh joy.) And, of course, there is no sign of Triton.

"Could you put us on opposite starting ends, or something?" I feel close to begging, but the words come out exasperated instead. Which is good, because begging would only make Triton pounce. ...Ick!

Triton doesn't listen to my heartfelt request. I can almost feel his exuberance as he continues explaining:

"_You two are to wander my modern labyrinth to see what can be discovered. Better play nice together, because some areas can only be passed with a helping hand. Do well, and you both will be rewarded, but do badly and you two will be punished. Who knows, someone might be lucky enough to uncover a way to freedom, although I suggest staying away from any exits while those pesky nanos are swimming inside._"

I repress a shudder. So I was right, Krad did have nanos now. How surprising.

"How am I still alive?" Krad's tones are guttural with anger. I glance at him with furrowed brows and note the faded scar on his torso. It is the same one that had been fresh when I'd found him in the pool room. It was weird how it had seemed to heal as I'd looked at it back then, but it is even weirder now that he sounds pissed at being alive. Course, life at the moment sucks, but he wasn't ever the suicidal type. If he was, then our feud would have been over ages ago.

"_Nanos_," Triton simply responds. "_They are extraordinary in all their usefulness. I'm using them right now to talk to you both. Heh heh-he, microscopic metal critters burrowing tiny beams deep into your brain to send you feedback. Wonderful, isn't it?_"

Krad a I both lose a few shades of what little color we have at the comment. I don't need to know—don't _want_ to know—just how the nanos are working.

"_I'm also using them to watch your vitals while probing to learn more about your genetic makeups. It's so beneficial compared to most modern science because it doesn't include going under knives and surgical recovery downtime. And what an added bonus that they are purposely coated with silver! No magic for you!_"

At this, Krad slams the side of his fist into the wall, but the move only shows how weak he is as his flesh barely hits with enough force to make a smacking sound. I could use a good stress reliever myself. But I keep my sanity together with a hope. Or maybe it's just a thought more than actual hope; but why didn't Triton use the nanos on me in the first place instead of those dangerous silver threads? There has to be a downside that we don't know of to using nanos. Something that could possibly turn in our favor. And we've got to somehow find out what it is. And fast.

"_Now, there are a few rules to this game. Well, actually, just one rule. When I talk to you and specifically tell you to do an action, I expect you to do it right then and there. Dark, you know just how much control these nanos give me over you. If I say do something, you better hurry to do it. I wouldn't want to give you pain again._"

Yeah, believing that when his voice is so full of mirth. Not! Forget losing a few shades of color; I gain a few shades of green. There is no end to the sickness of what Triton can ask us to do. I don't even want to imagine. But, wait. We have chastity belts on with no keys to take them off. Which means Triton can't have us doing very much if he decides to get... What am I saying, Triton is nothing but deplorable.

"You've yet to tell us what the point is of these horrible belts," I remind sourly.

"_Ah, yes, those._" He sounds delighted and I growl. "_My labyrinth is set like a game. The one who earns the most points at the end of each day gets a chance to have it taken off. But only if they agree to my terms, since I hold the only pair of keys to them. And my terms will be whatever I'm in the mood for at the time._"

Forget shades of green; I am green! Until fury sweeps through me and I turn back to my normal purple. Well, I'm suppose to be peach and purple, but you get the idea. Krad turns and begins walking down to the other end of the hall.

"I refuse to play games," he says dismissively, trying not to stumble.

"_Turn around, Krad. The beginning is through the way you woke up facing_," Triton's tones are full of gleeful warning.

"Krad, I hate to say it, but right now we have no choice but to play along. At some point we'll find our chance if we can stand working together. Outright defiance is not a good tactic here. Believe me, I've already tried that."

"_Nicely said, pet_."

"Shut up," I mutter. No way do I want his brownie points. And would someone be so kind as to tell me why I'm trying to get Krad to work with me? The effort is futile, and the idea just a _little_ insane. Sure enough, Krad looks over his shoulder with a mixture of disbelief and disgust, then faces back, never failing to keep shuffling forward.

"_Last chance, Krad. Turn back. I don't want to have to harm you further while you're still recuperating._"

"Go to hell," Krad mutters, never dropping his slow, slightly wobbly pace.

"_Okay. You've left me no choice._" The fake exasperation in Triton's voice would sound more believable if he wasn't obviously gloating so damn much. He clearly wants to teach Krad a lesson. It's something I can relate with, but in no way, shape, or form with Triton himself.

Four large tiles suddenly swing out from underneath Krad's feet. Being as weak as he is, he can't do a thing to stop himself as he falls through a revealed metal duct with a thunk and feeble shout—his too-long ponytail being the last thing to disappear. Which, for some reason, I notice still has its cross tied on the end. It does nothing to cover in any sort of decent way, so why not leave the personal flare of fashion? That must have been Triton's reasoning.

I'm left blinking at the abruptness of being alone. But I hear more thunking and a bang further away as Krad continues falling and gets redirected along some path. There is an instant I'm grateful, thinking Krad is going to be led somewhere far away and completely separated from me.

I should have known better.

Bangs and an angry shout suddenly come from on the other side of the brick wall next to me. The sounds flow upward to directly above. My theory is proven correct as I look straight up and see four large tiles of the roof slide. I quickly move before Krad gets shot back out. He lands on the hard floor with a solid clank and a smack loud enough to make me wince. He rolls to his back, eyes practically swirling with dizziness. Red welts litter in patches all over his body. Whatever happened in that roller coaster of a duct, it was not meant to be pleasant. Course, it could all just be from metal and the law of gravity working together.

Krad's face suddenly becomes stony, and his eyes just as quickly lose their emotion as he stares at the ceiling, which has slid back into place already. He doesn't move, and his breathing slows.

"Krad, did you pass out?"

I back further away. No way was I going to stand anywhere near for him to suddenly snap back to his senses and unleash fury on the first thing he acknowledges.

He doesn't answer me. I'm left to conclude that he has, indeed, passed out. Or at least zoned out.

"So how am I to continue with a passed out teammate?" Not mentioning that fact that he's as unwilling as ever to be helpful.

"_You're not. You'll have to wait for him to wake up. I could give him a shock to speed the process up, if you like._"

Oh, I'd like to do much more to the pain in the ass laying before me, but no way am I going to ask for favors. They'd cost me in the long run, I'm sure. Triton seems the type to keep a record and then throw it at you.

"I'll wait."

"_How disappointing. That means the work day ahead of you will be longer since you're electing to be late. I hope you can hold your bladder for a really long time. Remember I said that only one of you a day would win a chance to get the belt taken off._"

"WHAT?!" I hadn't even thought of that. "So this really is a form of torture!"

"_More like a form of humiliation. Nothing breaks a spirit faster than a good dose of humility._"

Words cannot accurately describe what I feel. In fact, I'm glad they can't. It wouldn't make for a very happy read.

"Do what you will, Triton. And I sincerely hope you have fun, because this will be the last thing you live to do." The icy, killer rage fills me to the brim. I feel a sense of strength from it, but also a sense of despair. I don't condone killing. Never have and never will. So to be pushed so far as to be willing to complete annihilate every single particle of Triton's disgusting life does more than just set me at odds with myself.

I hate him! I hate him with every fiber of my being!

**-.-**

Krad and I walk the same dismal hallway again and again, no matter which turn we take at upcoming intersections. It has been hours, and though nothing has happened yet, the intense atmosphere between us has my nerves just about shot. Neither of us trusts the other enough to allow one to fall back and out of immediate sight. So his slow, stiff shuffles keep me going at the pace of a cripple. That alone is pissing me off, and I feel like I'm about to explode.

If only Daisuke would talk to me. His balance is what I'm desperately in need of. I'm sure he's awake, but he remains quiet. More than feelings must have been hurt after what happened between us earlier. I'd apologize, but with nothing but anger coursing through me it would lack any true apologetic feeling.

"What is Triton after in just leaving us to these lonely halls? If it's boredom, then he has succeeded." I shrug, playing outwardly the part of calm.

"Figure it out yourself," Krad barks. I turn toward him and snarl.

"You're the psychotic one that's all about psychology! Pardon me for not having a forte in mind games!"

"Just shut up." Krad grimaces. I suspect it's at my overly loud voice ringing along the close walls. He's sweaty and slightly hunched over, but other than that he looks to be doing better than when he woke up. And most of the welts are gone now. In my irritation I wish he'd just drop into another trap and be gone forever.

"Fat load of help you are," I huff and face back forward. "You can't even walk right. Is it because of the addition of fish in that already tainted deoxyribonucleic acid of yours?" I see a fist coming for my head in my peripheral and just do manage to dodge the blow in time. Guess I'm not up to par, either. Though that's not unexpected.

Silver, lack of water, and bucket loads of stress add up to a dreadfully pathetic phantom thief.

"It is time I got rid of that cocky mouth of yours!" Krad says, as he follows the punch, practically letting his weight pin me against the painted brick wall. Before I can shove him away, one of his hands reach up, curled like claws for my lips. But he suddenly jolts and the hand hovers shakily before my face, not touching. Snarling, I shove him backward. He stumbles clumsily into the opposite wall and slides down it, eyes wide and mouth open, arms wrapping protectively over his midsection as if he'd just gotten punched by me. Though I have to say it would take a lot more force than I can currently muster to bring that expression to his face. He presses his forehead to the floor, defenseless in agony.

It surprises me. What is happening to him?

"_Seems I do have another rule. And it is that fighting isn't allowed. Remember this_," Triton says, just as it feels as if a hook has speared through my abdomen, found purchase around my spine, and twists. Pain sparks outward from my core and I fold, going numb from the waist down. It's bliss compared to the agony in what all hasn't. "_You don't even raise a hand to protect yourself. I will interfere when I see fit against any action that takes place. Don't forget who has control here._"

With pain roaring ugly, I dimly wonder if whatever Triton's doing will inflict permanent damage.

I'm not sure how long I stay on the floor, but I become aware of more than just numbness and pain as Krad half snarls, half screams in frustration. Getting to his hands and knees, he punches the floor, his face full of hate. Thin, short cracks spread from the impact as I feel a small wave of energy batter over my skin.

Unbelievable. Krad shouldn't have even that little bit of magical strength left in him, much less the nanos having allowed it to surface.

His small glorious moment passes as he crumples back to the floor, panting out death threats; much the same as he'd been doing when he'd awoken from the roller coaster duct earlier. I bite my bottom lip and force myself to stretch out onto the cold floor. There is a slight spasm of muscles from my core, then a pressure releases off my spine and feeling comes back to my legs. Sweet relief from pain leaves me gasping and shaky, sweaty and cursing Triton into multiple rings of hellfire.

When Krad and I finally regain composure (which is creepily at the same time), we stand, not even sparing a glance at each other. The tension is awkward. Never in our wildest dreams had we ever thought it possible that a human could interfere in a fight between us. Not to this magnitude.

And though Krad is more proud and self-oriented than me, I have little doubt that he can take this form of abuse longer. Simply because he understands the process of breakdown these games of Triton induce. He'll realize and mentally counteract, biding his time, whereas I can only endure. But I vow that even if Triton strips me of every shred of dignity and self-motivation, that there will be a chance for a counterattack, and I will see it, and take it. I've been long into this world, after all. It will take more than a mortal to keep me down.

**-.-**

It's been hours since our painful event. And I hate to admit it, but my limitations are about to be reached. I've been going downhill steadily within this last hour. I don't know how Krad is even walking right now. There have been times where my focus has dropped, and I haven't even realized that the menacing blond went from beside to behind me until I hear him stumble and fall. He usually picks himself right back up and continues on without a word, and I let him slowly pass before I start walking again.

We are terribly dehydrated, and desperately in need of food. The wear we put on our Tamers' bodies makes it necessary to take in enormous amounts of fast-acting calories not too long after transforming. The bento Kosuke gave me seems so long ago now. And who knows when Krad last ate. Not that I care, or anything. But if he goes down, then I go down with him.

I told the truth earlier when I said I don't have a forte in mind games. But only an innocent and naive person wouldn't realize just what it is Triton is after by letting us go on in this condition. Without a doubt this will continue until we drop and can't get up. And the nanos will inform Triton just whether or not we really have reached our limits. So there is no use in trying to fake exhaustion. Soon I won't have to worry about faking it. My real fear at this point is Triton prodding us to go further afterward. I don't want another session of shocks, or debilitating pain. Unfortunately punishing someone for their limitations is exactly what I think Triton is after with this exercise. What better way to instill a sense of inferiority and show absolute control?

I hear a knob to one of the endless rows of identical doors jiggle and see Krad pausing, leaning on it and trying to open it.

"I thought we already deduced that every door we see is locked and not to bother with them unless we can sense something on the other side. Otherwise it's a waste of time while falling for yet another mind game."

"One cannot automatically assume that, idiot," Krad says, backing up to study the door. I clinch a fist and frown at the back of him.

"Then why tell me not to fall for it?"

Krad turns to glare at me, his face highlighted with sweat and his too-pale cheek bones seeming a bit more prominent than usual. In the cold depths of his gaze I can see an answer hovering to my question, but he isn't going to speak it out loud.

"Dammit, Krad!"

How frustrating. For once in many lifetimes Krad isn't going to be helpful, not because he doesn't want to be, but because he can't. To say anything out loud would be to give it away to Triton's monitoring. I'm just going to have to figure the reasoning out for myself.

Or so I think before I feel a slight buzzing on the outer recesses of my mind. The mental touch is light, but demanding in its persistence, even after Krad's gaze turns away and he starts shuffling down the hallway again. I take the hint and follow after him, hoping that no hidden cameras were around to catch the moment of shock that had temporarily crossed my features. Krad is trying to use the old link that we'd reestablished during the start of all this chaos days—maybe weeks—ago. It doesn't take magic to power the telepathy of twins. I take a breath and fortify myself before tuning into the slight buzz, answering it.

It might have been wiser to play along with just Triton's games rather than open myself up to Krad. At least Triton is a physical stain, as opposed to one that seeps into you along psychic lines. But I'm surprised by what I feel from Krad. His spirit is warm, instead of stone cold. And I don't feel a sense of filth from having him so intimately connected to me, even after all that he is and has done; but have almost a sense of completion. As if my faults are balanced by his, and our strengths compliment each other.

And _that_ causes me to slam a mental barrier down on the connection before we get anywhere with it. I shake my head, fuming. A little ways ahead of me, Krad snorts. During the chaos when we'd used the connection before, I hadn't been aware of any emotion. Only shared thoughts as I'd been focusing on getting the job at the time done. Or maybe I hadn't been aware of the emotions because I'd been in spirit form, rather than in Daisuke's body.

Either way, I'm not going to subject myself to the infection Krad is.

"Afraid, Mousy?"

"About as afraid as you." I lick chapped lips and all too soon catch up beside Krad. He snorts again.

"You will never know," he says. I get a sudden case of goosebumps, and it's not because of the chill of the hall, which has become muted after so much exposure to it. It is because of foresight. Krad is talking about more—much more, than just the here and now.

"I don't care!" I snarl, the sound harsh and ugly. Dulled eyes give a quick side glance, then dismiss me.

"You are the one whom rejects to coexist."

"Just shut up." The conversation is getting too personal. Triton will be able to tell we're talking about more than just this stupid predicament we're in.

To my utter surprise, I feel a slight buzzing at the edges of my mind again. Krad is once more trying to connect with me. I ignore the beckon, and the horrible longing that suddenly spears through me. I couldn't possibly _long_ for Krad in any way. There is no need, no _want_, for something like him. The lack of balance from Daisuke must be what's making me feel this way. I'm incomplete left on my own. But incomplete or not, I'd rather die as something less than human, than allow myself a part of the blond demon.

I growl.

Krad growls back, and the buzzing becomes stronger, more insistent.

"Just let it go." My tones are low with anger and fatigue. Sweat rolls down my temples as Krad keeps on pestering me. I swallow, but my dry throat catches and I cough. To distract myself from thinking of tantalizing images of water, I feel along my chest. The dip from when I'd allowed the phoenix form is shallow, hardly noticeable now. I'm glad Daisuke's body isn't like Dane's. With his, this dip literally popped back into place. And it had hurt. Daisuke's is slowly adjusting its way back to normal. And it honestly had accommodated the phoenix easier than it should have. Which pricks a sense of unease instead of relief.

Maybe Daisuke isn't human. Not fully, anyway. And in more of a way then just the additional sequence of my DNA.

"Kosuke," I mumble. That man is definitely hiding something. I'm going to figure out exactly what when all this is over.

And I'm going to be celebrating when it is by dancing all over Triton's corpse.

Maybe I'm more like Krad than I thought...

Speaking of the demonic white angel, the leg he steps onto suddenly gives out and the annoying buzzing I'd been ignoring finally stops. One of his hands fling above his head, as if he's reaching to grip onto something to stop his fall. With bewilderment I watch as my hand seems to gain a will of its own and shoots out for his flailing limb. His grasp is sure as he catches onto me, as if he'd known my hand was going to be right there for him. But just because I'd caught him doesn't mean that he—or I, for that matter—are safe from falling.

His weight easily pulls me down, and we crash in a heap, our arms pinned under the other. Our eyes meet and we snarl. I scramble to get back up, feeling my muscles drag in the effort. By the time I stand up, Krad is as well. All I see is blond hair as he rams into my chest, backing me against the wall.

"You're a fool if you're trying to fight again," I say, restraining the urge to club him. And restraining the urge is pissing me off worse than him pressing against me. He lifts off, his breathing strained as he straightens, gripping both of my shoulders.

"I am not trying to fight you." He gazes straight into my eyes, his dulled bronze highlighting with a bit of the usual gold. The slashes of his pupils widen, taking up a good half of his irises. The buzzing comes back, loud.

The bastard is trying to get a mind-lock on me.

I go to move, not caring if Triton views this as a struggle and inflicts his pain, but it's already too late.

"How?" I question at the tiny use of magic.

"I am more accustom to using magic. I have more capabilities with it."

My jaw slackens and my shoulders droop. The hall around us blurs and fades into a faraway background. The pools of his eyes draw me in deeper, until I'm aware of only him. Buzzing becomes too loud as he pushes against our link. I fight to break eye contact, to lessen his power over me. But it's impossible; I only manage to jerk slightly.

_Damn it!_

"You shouldn't be able to overcome the silver," I say slowly, my tone flat under his enthrallment. With his magic reduced to the level it is, he doesn't have a hope of controlling me completely, nor for long. I just have to wait until his power drains past the point of use. And the trembling of his body suggests that will be very, very soon.

"I don't know what you're planning to do with-"

"Shut up," he pants and leans forward, touching our foreheads together. Inside, I jump a mile into the air, but outside a barely twitch at the contact. "Let me in."

His psychic touch strengthens seven-fold, seeming to encase my entire brain. This time I jerk harder, hitting the back of my head against the wall. The surroundings come more into my awareness at the hit, helping to cancel out some of Krad's hold. I slowly slip my arms between us, barely managing to push at him. Sweat drips down my face and all down my body from the effort it takes to move just that little bit. God his relentless buzzing is beginning to claw into my brain!

Why isn't Triton interfering?

_Because he's studying this_, some distant part of me realizes.

"You have always been scared to acknowledge what you are; what _we_ are, and what that means for those we inhabit."

"Get off me!" I tremble from the excursion of the shout, or maybe just from his terrible aura surrounding me, pounding at my forehead.

Suddenly, like a door being blasted open, I see Krad standing before me, physically and within my mind's eye. He storms in, his anger clashing within my own, mixing along with all that is his essence. I panic at the venomous feel of hate, of the raging sense of depravity, the drilled patience and cunning he's learned over and over again. I almost miss the subtle hints of underlining sorrow, and then joy.

Just as suddenly as I feel him, everything flicks off like a switch being pulled. I shudder and slip down to my knees on the floor, forcing him to take a few steps back as the power of his mind-lock fades. But it has already done its damage.

'_Now that was not so bad, was it?_' Krad's mental tones shift oddly in the haze of my thoughts. It feels as if I've been emotionally shattered and left to pick up the pieces. Noticing my hands are shaking, I ball them against the floor, forcing all my trembling to stop before I get back on my feet.

'Was all this really just to tell me the point of not checking these doors anymore?' My unsteady mental voice belies what my appearance no longer does. You can't hide what's on the inside.

'_That was more or less an excuse to get you to open this link._'

Krad moves to walk down the hall, wanting to keep the front up like earlier and not let Triton know we are conferring secretly, but he crumples sideways against me, chuckling. Amused about something.

'_One good thing about Triton's control is that I do not have to worry about you flattening me to the floor right now._'

'Who says I won't take the chance of retaliation just to get you back?' I link-speak, making no move to help Krad stand by himself. In fact, I don't move at all. I'm too busy trying to keep my battered and bruised inner self together to be bothered.

'_You will not chance it,_' he says, confident. '_While we have this connection, I can sense your deepest feelings. And I can side with why you will not test the disgusting freak._' Once again I begin slamming down mental barriers, having to work hard to mentally shove him out now that he's gotten a firm hold.

"Wait," he says out loud, grabbing my arms. I pry him off and let him slide down, but I stop shoving psychically. He plops to the floor on his rear, head hanging as he occasionally shivers. It's probably more from fatigue than coldness.

'Hurry up and say what you gotta say!' I narrow my eyes at him, wanting to bring a foot smashing up into his face. He's at the perfect angle and height, too.

'_The doors all being locked is a way to instate that we have no way out. We have only where he allows us. A fact proven by how you are not even willing to try to break in to any of these rooms. It is against his wishes, therefore you cannot do it._'

'Don't forget that I also have no means in which to get into these locks, magic or no.'

'_My reasoning for telling you not to try any of the doors anymore, was to merely show a bit of defiance. I know what he is pulling. I know that everything he has done has __had a reason, and I know what reason that is. Eventually he will either make a move to keep us going down the track he wants, or we will die. And I very much suspect that he will not allow us to die. We must force his hand, and this will allow us to have some control. Not much, but some. And that will be enough to allow me to...work my magic, in a manner of speaking._'

'Yeah. I know all about your _magic_, as you're calling it.'

Krad looks up at me. My heart literally stutters at the ferocity of his gaze. Because I haven't been actively mingling with Krad's inner presence, I'm not reading into him as deeply as he claimed he is into me. But there is no ignoring the spike of diseased hate and bottomless pool of determination that swells from him within my chest.

'_When humans know they have power to create, and, yet, are not satisfied with what they deem theirs, they always seek to change, to destroy what is present. The Hikari know what I am, whereas the Niwas do not full understand what you are. They do not know how to rid themselves of you. But I overcome, and eradicate those that act against me, and I made sure long ago that the knowledge of "taming" me was lost to the past, along with most of the clan. I will not give mercy to any human. They are all the same in their thought process, and I will devour and change that, just as they would and have tried to do with me._'

'So that is what happened to you... That is why you hate them for bringing you into this world.' Shock ripples through me, along with pain that isn't just his or mine. I never knew—never would have guessed—that the Hikari of old had sought to purge themselves of their own creation; a part of themselves.

No wonder Krad always says the humans had no right to create us. He can't leave, so the Hikaris chose to try and destroy. Create, control, and then throw away.

'_And you left me! You left to work along side those Niwas! Humans that steal whatever they can to make themselves happier, uncaring to what they are robbing from another. They do not even care about the artifact itself!_'

Amidst both of our inner turmoil, a warmth throbs in the middle of its vortex. Krad jolts, studying my eyes. The understanding and endless compassion he's feeling is definitely something that he's unaccustomed to, and it's throwing him for a loop.

**'Not all people are the same, Krad. Not really. We are all a lot alike, but we can also be different and unique. It isn't fair to judge everyone as a whole, even if you have been around ninety-nine percent of the population.'**

Has Daisuke always been this wise? I think he's been growing up without me noticing.

'_Do not attempt to preach to me, kid! I have dealt with your kind again and again. When misunderstanding happens, and push comes to shove, all humans are self-__centered parasites!_'

'Gee, that sounds so familiar...'

** 'I can't speak for everyone, but people do protect what is theirs. And sometimes we get lost in ourselves and can be ignorant. But I know my strength is in caring, and I will do my best not to hurt anyone. It is something that I know is me. And if I have this strength, then I'm sure I'm not the only one.' **

I put a hand to cover my guilty, watery eyes. Though I don't know why I bother. Both parties present will feel the emotion, if not see it.

'Dai, I'm sorry. So sorry about earlier.'

Disgust ripples down the link, coming from Krad.

** 'It's okay, Dark. I just needed some time to forgive you and adjust.'**

'_I did not open this link to intrude on such mush as this._' Frustration mingles with disgust.

'Too bad. Is there anything else you want to say before I slam a mental door in your face?'

'_Yeah. Next time I need to say something discretely, open up our connection!_' With that he retreats from my mind and I slam the connection closed. With his presence gone it's highly noticeable that most of what precious energy I'd had is depleted. Damn ass probably snitched some to make up for what he used. I find myself quickly sitting, facing Krad and trying but failing to get rid of a single tear running down my cheek without him noticing. He frowns heavily, then looks away. Pfft. As if I care what he thinks of me.

"You never did tell me why you tried to open that one door earlier." My physical voice is loud in the hushed quiet, making him jump and scowl. He'd obviously been deep in thought. I'm sure it was about what he felt coming from Daisuke. That kid is a saint. But it isn't like Krad will put any sort of faith in Daisuke staying the way he is. I already have, though. You can't change what is at the core foundation of an individual, only break it if you push hard enough. And if anyone were to break Daisuke, it would be the death of him. Which is where I come in. I won't let that happen.

I feel the strength of determination flow through me, just as Krad speaks. Like my voice did to him, it makes me jump.

"I heard a lock click either in or out of place from that door. I thought it was a sign to go that way."

"Eh? That makes no sense if you're trying to-" At the glare Krad gives, I quickly shut up before I give our earlier conversation away.

"Reverse, reverse, and many more reverses of psychology. That is all I am saying."

"No wonder you're nuts."

He only shrugs.

"_You guys have given me some excellent activity to study. But I'm afraid I'm going to have to ask you two to get moving now._"

So I'd been right; he had been studying what we were doing. That doesn't mean he knows we were communicating. Just hope that doesn't also mean he will get tired of being left in the dark, and soon decide to zap us when he knows we're using it.

"Good luck figuring his brain out." I fight to stand up, but manage to jab a thumb toward Krad. He just shrugs again, turns, and practically crawls along the wall to get to his feet. He wobbles, turning again to press his back to the painted bricks to remain standing, his hands pressed to either side to steady himself. He looks weaker than a newborn kitten.

I can't seem much better.

Something small and mechanical whines in the distance behind us, coming left from the intersection we last passed. I perk my ears, and Krad looks down the far hall. I quickly realize that whatever is coming isn't alone; there's at least four different sources and patterns to their movement.

"After all this time you finally decide to send something after us?" I question.

"_I did say that there would be games._"

"Joy, oh joy."

"What is that?" Krad squints to make out whatever has just come around the corner.

"Whatever it is, it's low to the floor, has wheels, and is about a foot long. But what are those orange sticks on its back?"

"_That would be dynamite. Might I suggest running?_"

"WHAT?!" Krad and I both exclaim.

"You're trying to kill us now and bring down the place?" I trot forward, looking over my shoulder to measure the speed of the wheeled device so as not to exert more than I have to. Who knows how long we'll have to keep this up. Two more round the corner. Unfortunately Krad isn't doing as well as me in the walking department.

"Keep up, Krad, or you're going to be splattered all over these walls." He grunts in reply, managing to walk and only lean on the wall with every other step. "Weak ass," I goad, trying and failing to motivate him quicker. He just frowns at me.

"_If Krad fails in this exercise, then so do you, Dark. Go back and help him._"

"Stay out of affairs that have nothing to do with you," I retort, keeping on going, but pacing backward now to keep a better eye on Krad and those devices. They're looking more and more like remote toy cars the closer they get. And I doubt that's actual dynamite, but whatever they are carrying couldn't have been made to be pleasant. I'm surely not about to write those things off as harmless.

"_Eventually you will learn,_" Triton says, with a sigh.

I hear a small _clink_, and suddenly my feet drop past the floor. I look down, right through a large metal duct. There is a tiny pause before gravity takes affect and I look to Krad, and he looks back at me. I can't tell if humor is in his eyes, or worry. It isn't very reassuring, either way. Then I'm falling with a rush of air, and nothing but the metallic color of metal surrounding me.

"Well, shit!" I scream, cursing Triton the whole long way down.

**-.-**

Triton sat before a large monitor, innumerable readings from many different levels of tests lighting the entire room. There was much to be checked on with the two complicated beings in his care. Science was such fun, as were his games. He hadn't had this much excitement since... When was the last time he'd had this much excitement? He couldn't remember, and didn't really care. But he did care about the little nuisance his nanos had alerted him to.

It could turn out to be a bad, bad problem. And he didn't want his fun to be put on hold.

The nanos had picked up on his body slowing down. He hadn't even been aware of it at first, but he could definitely feel it now. Looking into the matter further, he found what looked to be subtle traces of neurotoxins spreading throughout his body. But these toxins weren't acting like normal neurotoxins; they weren't being metabolized, though according to the nanos' report at least one of the foreign elements was Tetrodotoxin.

He had to figure out a cure to this problem soon, because he surely didn't want to die of paralysis. Of course his staff and equipment were more than capable of handling a little sodium channel blockage. He wouldn't die of respiratory or cardiac arrest. But what about the rest of the slippery little toxins? What would they do? So far, even with extensive research using his very own super computer, he'd found no matches to what was currently floating through his system.

How had he even come into contact with such poison, anyway? He had his suspicions, but for such a thing to be possible... He wished he would have gotten more of a blood sample from Krad when he'd been in his childish ichthyoid form. Or had he been more shark-like? If the fins on the wrists had indeed been poisonous, then facts pointed to him being more like an off-shoot of p_terois volitans. But the toxin composition is a lot more complex than what a lion fish could produce. It was sneakier, slower, and didn't cause pain or swelling. _

Well, enough with pointless worry. Eventually he'd have an answer and he'd be fine. What really needed to be done was for that Kosuke person to be found. He'd never left the building, so where could he possibly be? And how was he hiding from every piece of security equipment? It should be impossible!

With a shake of his head, he leaned forward, announcing over a comm system that the recruits had better find the man without anymore delay. And with that, he focused back to the angels at hand, smirking at the trouble of one purple-haired ex-thief. His pets weren't going to get away, so as far as he was concerned they wouldn't need bothersome titles from their past.

**-****)*(****-**


	41. Chapter 41

**A/N:**** I am sorry for the short chapter, but I figure it has been long enough since I've gotten an update out. **

**This chapter is full of hardship. How will salvation come? I hope everyone enjoys reading this. And, by the way, I have missed hearing from you guys! **

**-****)*(****-**

Dark's POV

I feel like a dry, shriveled prune huddled against my knees down on the floor, shivering—trying to keep warm. Slowly blinking, I make an effort to focus on surroundings that are blurry and dark, only now realizing I've been trapped unaware and in a daze for the last longest. I crane my stiff neck at the unfamiliar passageway, having no recollection of how I got here.

How long have I been out of it? The gap in my memory suggests I'd fainted at some point, but I'm too exhausted and sore to care very much. Which, in itself, is kind of scary. I know I care; I know I need to put forth some effort to do so, but there is just no energy to bother.

I can "see" once my vision clears the amount that it will. Details rapidly come into focus. A vast amount of relief feels me as I take in the somewhat different and cramped tunnel-like passage. I finally have a little peace; those sticks the remote cars had been carrying were modified cattle prods! Two of the cars had fallen into the duct soon after I had, and the duct didn't lead up and spit me out of the roof like it had Krad. Oh no, that would have been too nice. It went straight down instead, and smacked me dead-center into a twelve-foot squared area. That's where the fun had began...in the form of many pointless circles and yelps.

I quickly learned not to try to bash the little cars. Trying to be a smart-ass had done me no good, either—the metal walls of the duct were too far to simply wedge my arms and legs to spider climb, but I'd tried using my back and the length of my body to wedge and slowly shimmy up. Which had worked for a short time...until the cars had revealed that they could extend their orange cattle prods. And they had enjoyed shocking me senseless. My back and the pads of my hands and feet from where the metal interior had been in contact were still burnt raw and shiny. But at least the smell of burnt hair has long since dissipated.

My tongue and throat are nothing but a dried-up channel of rough sandpaper. My lips are scorching they're so chapped. I flick my swollen tongue over them in a vain effort to bring some relief and feel dollops of dried blood. Just from the simple movement and contact, my top lip splits on the inside, reaching to the top of my gums. Soon my mouth is coated in blood. I swallow. No matter how bad it seems, the blood helps soothe my swollen throat. Although, it's thick and not very satisfying.

Shakily, I turn my head to the side, again viewing what's above. All there is, is a low-tiled roof. Very low, in fact. I would probably have to stand hunched over. Though standing right now would be a joke. I turn to rest my forehead back against the floor, racked with shivers. I can't get warm! It's even colder here without the blaring lights to add _some_ warmth. I should move—try to get some warmth circulating through me. It's almost painful as I prop up on my arms, the movement agonizingly slow and jerky. Suddenly, I'm out of breath and a few spots dance in my vision. I'm really, _really_ not in very good condition.

I abandon the attempt to crawl and settle for simply rocking back and forth. It doesn't do much to help, especially as far as the many aches are concerned. As I brood over this paradox of a dilemma for awhile, I remember I'm not suppose to be alone. What has happened to Krad? Rather, what has happened to him and I being partners in this disturbing game? I haven't seen him since the trapdoor fiasco. Is Triton pulling something new on us?

_He's probably just trying to keep me guessing._

I push thoughts of Krad out of my head, needing to focus on getting myself out of here. We'll probably be back together sooner rather than later, and isn't that a joy to look forward to? But how had I gotten to this...area? It is different from the hallway in that it seems to go on forever without any intersections.

_ Think. How could I have gotten here? More importantly, how do I get back out of here?_

It's no use. My mind draws a blank. The last thing a properly remember is...something I don't _want_ to remember. Because I'd fallen one time too many, and had pressed myself as far as I could into a small corner in a futile attempt to get away from horrible cattle prods. I bite my bottom lip, drawing more blood. How pathetic I must have seemed—must still seem. Especially to Daisuke.

**'Dark, it's okay. You were pushed to your limit. You did what you could do.' **

I feel Daisuke's sympathy sweep through me like a wave of inner warmth. But it's weak, just like everything else about us. However, it's enough to tone the humiliation of the flashbacks down.

Honestly, the humiliation wouldn't be nearly as bad if only I could see an end to all this. How long will it be before there is a chance to turn the tables? How much more will we have to endure?

I have to keep going, and succeed. For Daisuke _and _for revenge. I let either of them go. Though, I think Daisuke is the stronger of us in this mess. How is that possible? Does a purer spirit really make such a difference? If so, then maybe I'm nothing but a burden...

_Ah_, my conscious says evilly, _you _are_ a burden. If it weren't for you, Daisuke wouldn't be in this situation, and he'd be just a normal, happy teenager finding his way in life, and ultimately finding love._

"Tch!" Bitterness wells up in my chest.

**'Dark?'**Daisuke says, concerned by what he's feeling from me. **'We just need a plan—'**

'There can be no plan because we can't even guess what could be around the next corner!' Daisuke flinches at the heat in my words. I hate that he is able to feel so many horrible emotions from me right now. There is just no energy to close myself off with. 'Sorry...' a rising tide of fresh guilt makes me say. I'm glad when we can share positive emotions, but I hate how badly negative emotions bounce back and forth between us. Never have I wanted to be separated more from a Tamer—I want to be the strong guardian for Daisuke; I don't want the impact of what all I feel adding to his stress.

If only I could hide behind a weak smile and assure him it will all be okay. The little bit of faith one could get from that could dramatically help to keep one's spirits up. But, connected and strung out as we are, I can't do that.

**'No worries.'**Daisuke forces a humorless chuckle, although despair beings gnawing at his spirit. My heavy aura is having a worse reaction on him than our current predicament. I really _am_ nothing but a burden...

I can't stay still with thoughts like this in my head. It takes me the better part of a minute, and some heavy leaning on the wall (which I note with some dissatisfaction is painted the same white as the hallways before), but I stand. Or the more appropriate term is slouch. Once again, I'm out of breath and more spots dance in my vision.

The ceiling is like I thought—too low to stand at full height. Admittedly, that's not the only reason why I'm not. My balance is nonexistent, causing me to teeter on my heels to the wall and back again. If someone spit on me it would probably finish me off.

I go to take a shaky step forward, but the floor seems to rotate and I might as well be stepping up toward the covered sky.

** 'Dark!'**

Weakness crashes, or maybe that's just my bones connecting painfully against the floor.

"Da...mn..."

I've got nothing. No strength, no reserves. The stuttering of our heart lets me know Daisuke's body is past its limit. Dangerously so.

**'Let me out. It helps, doesn't it? When we revert to my form,' **his mental voice cracks with both worry and fatigue.

'A moot point when you're just as physically drained. Besides, it would do more harm than good to switch back now.'

**'How so?' **Daisuke frets.

'The sil...ver...' I trail off, trickling into partial unconsciousness.

**'Dark!'**

The inner shout stimulates enough for me to realize the darkness has become absolute. I'd closed my eyes. I don't bother fighting to open them again.

'Sorry, Daisuke...I'm fading.'

**'Will we be all right?'**

'Not without intervention from here...' I cringe as our heart squeezes, and then stutters again from the sudden panic that bolts through Daisuke. The organ is too tired for this. Hell, _I'm _too tired for this!

'Calm down, and try not to change back. With my magic suppressed, my form is hardly any different from yours. It's best to leave a vehicle idling rather than cut it off when you're going to use it again very soon.'

**'What do you mean?'**

'It's...a metaphor...'

**'Dark, please don't leave me alone and unable to move!'** I can hear a quiver in his weary tones.

'Sorry, Daisuke.' I seem to be apologizing a lot to the kid recently. 'I've got no choice... Triton should make a move soon. Just be...patient. Think of this as nothing more than a bout of sleep paralysis. It sucks...but it will be over soon.' _Leave it all to me,_ I try to add, but the thought doesn't quite make it across our link. Maybe he felt the fleeting vibe of reassurance from me. It's my last thought before my consciousness is swallowed by the abyss.

I actually welcome the unfeeling void.

**-.-**

Krad's POV 

The hallway is quiet. Which means Mousy was led far away. Which also means Triton is about to do something different to us since he has taken away my "partner", for all intentions and purposes.

I _had_ tried to get the trap to open back up. I had pried at it, and pressed weight on it, but it refused to reactivate. It is probably controlled by an electronic switch.

It took less than a minute before the other two remote cars were on me. One ran up against my leg and I had kicked backward, but I do not remember what happened after that. Although, I have a painful prong-shaped mark on the back of my thigh, along with thin tendrils of burn marks rising up the flesh.

I woke up once again on the hard, cold floor. It seems to be a reoccurring event lately, but it is not getting any more pleasant. The remote pests are no longer around, and I suspect they have been gone for a while. I roll off my stomach and to my side, pressing up against a wall and curling slightly to try for warmth. My head is aching to the point I feel sick. Or maybe I am just fed up with this pitiful situation. I look to the ceiling, but close my eyes as the sight of it rotates in my vision. My head had probably connected with the floor once unconscious..._again_. A concussion is the last thing I need.

_Mousy, where are you?_

The thought is barely in my head before I try reaching for him telepathically. The action is almost automatic. It angers me. I gave up on him long ago; I do not want to begin...needing him again. He is too weak to see the truth of what I do—what we_ have_ to do. But for the time being we need this link. So, no matter the feelings it rekindles, I will still use it. They were mastered long ago, so I do not suspect they will be much of a problem.

There is nothing coming from Dark's end, meaning he is out cold. My lips twitch at the irony of that thought. It does seem to be getting colder. It is probably because I have not been moving for some time.

Humiliation and regret sudden flood me and I frown, knowing it is not coming from me. I tune inward and find a small flicker of consciousness. The feelings abruptly flat-line as Satoshi becomes aware enough to control them. Or at least bury them far enough so I cannot feel them.

'Those were not pleasant feelings.'

**'I suppose something like you would not be familiar in dealing with such things,'** he replies coldly. **'What has happened?'** Dark amusement washes over him as he notices how weak we are and what pathetic position we are in.

'I will allow you access to my memories. To be bothered explaining it all is not something I find enjoyable at the moment.'

**'You can give me all the access you want, I'm not immersing myself in the feel of you. Just give me a quick summary.'**

I smile. I cannot help myself. Satoshi is not saying the true reason why he will not view my memory. He does not want to face Triton again.

'My, are we not sounding bossy for a coward. Do not worry—Triton did not get far with you; although, I thought he had dealt me a deathblow with some abominable silver dagger.' Anger and disgust roll and clash before curiosity swirls, sparked by the last part of my comment. Then, once again, his emotions flat-line as he ponders how we can still be alive and what it might mean that we are.

'Now,' I continue, 'we are traveling these monotonously redundant halls over and over again in some game. We have not seen much action yet, but I figure that will soon change once Mousy gets back.'

**'Dark? He's helping you?'**

'He and I have no choice but to team up. Apparently there will be places where we will have need of each other.'

**You sound about as pleased about this as I am surprised by it. Where did Dark go?'**

I shift my eyes to look where the trapdoor is set into the floor, seamlessly waiting for its victims. 'There. It seems when Triton uses the old trick, Mousy falls for it.' I laugh out loud, despite myself. The sound is weak. Even so, it feels like an inner tension is released and I relax. For some reason, Satoshi becomes alarmed.

**'Krad! It's numbing cold here and you aren't shivering anymore! You've got ****hypothermia! Get up and move!'**

"Just great," I grumble, fighting to get to my hands and knees—unsuccessfully.

**'Try harder if you don't want to die!'**

'Triton will not let us die.' But I do not like the thought of being in a weaker state while that deprave human still has such control. I grunt, only managing to roll onto my stomach before a sore thigh and a splitting headache protest too much. Everything starts spinning with such force I momentarily panic as I completely lose my bearings.

'**Oh no...'** Satoshi sounds as drained as I feel. **'Damn it! Why a concussion now, of all times?!'**

'It is a little difficult to protect your head when you happen to fall _after_ you have been shocked into unconsciousness...' I blink rapidly, trying to bring the whirlpool of white tiles and bricks back into focus. Eventually I just give up and shut my eyes.

**-****)*(****-**


End file.
